AAIB ropes in veteran pilot Sandhu as domain expert in Air India plane crash probe

New Delhi – July 21, 2025 — The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has expanded its investigation team probing the Air India Boeing 787 crash near Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, by appointing Captain RS Sandhu—a highly respected former Air India director of operations and veteran Boeing 787 examiner—as a domain expert. The crash tragically claimed 260 lives, making it one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters.

Who Is Captain RS Sandhu?

• Experience: Nearly 39 years with Air India, including a tenure as operations chief and a Boeing 787 fleet examiner.
• Notable Role: Oversaw the delivery of VT‑ANB in 2013—the same aircraft involved in the Ahmedabad crash.
• Current Engagements: Founder of Aviazione, a leading aviation consultancy. Led integration efforts for Tata‑group airlines.

Why His Inclusion Matters

1. Expert Insights: With deep technical knowledge of the Boeing 787 systems, Sandhu is expected to bolster analysis of flight data, cockpit procedures, and aircraft systems.
2. Addressing Demands: Pilot unions—including ALPA‑India, representing over 800 cadets—had urged for a seasoned pilot’s presence on the panel to enhance credibility and transparency.
3. Restoring Confidence: The AAIB, under scrutiny for releasing preliminary findings that cited a sudden fuel cutoff from cockpit recordings, sought increased expertise amid global speculation. Industry voices have welcomed Sandhu’s appointment as a “positive step” to bolster investigative rigor.

Investigation Status & Expert Line‑Up

• Team Composition: The core AAIB panel is led by Sanjay Kumar Singh, supported by investigators across engineering, medicine, psychology, and flight-record analysis. Sandhu joins as an SME for operational and cockpit assessments.
• Ongoing Scrutiny: The AAIB has cautioned media and the public against premature conclusions—especially amid reports (including from U.S. authorities) suggesting potential pilot-initiated fuel cutoff error or sabotage.
• Regulatory Stand: Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has echoed calls for restraint, affirming the AAIB’s competence—highlighting that the black-box data was decoded domestically