US Aviation Safety Group Accuses AAIB Of Withholding Critical Data In AI-171 Crash Probe

The Foundation for Aviation Safety (FAS) has accused India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of withholding critical data and failing to comply with international accident investigation standards following the crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad last year, which killed 260 people. FAS executive director Ed Pierson expressed deep concern over what he called the AAIB's continued lack of transparency and failure to share vital maintenance records, real-time flight data, and potential hazards related to the crash.

Pierson stated that his foundation transmitted "hundreds of official non-public documents" concerning the AI-171 crash, which detail a history of electrical, electronic, and flight computer system failures. He claimed that these documents were sent to Indian authorities through a UK AAIB expert and are essential for identifying potential causal factors in the crash.

The AAIB has been accused of breaching International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13, Section 5 guidelines, which mandate the collection, recording, and analysis of all relevant information in accident investigations. Pierson emphasized that the AAIB's withholding of crucial Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) and Aircraft Health Management (AHM) data streams is failing its primary objective of preventing future accidents through timely, transparent safety disclosures.