Air India AI-171 Crash Probe: Pilots Protest as AAIB Summons Captain Sabharwal’s Nephew

The scars from India’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades are being ripped wide open today, Thursday, January 15, 2026. While the world tries to move on, the investigation into the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad is taking a turn that has the pilot community up in arms.¹

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The thing is, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) just summoned Captain Varun Anand.² Or nothing. Let’s be real, he wasn’t on the flight. He wasn’t in the tower. He’s just the nephew of the late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the man who was at the controls when the Dreamliner went down.³ Those too. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) is calling this “pure harassment” and has slapped the AAIB with a legal notice.⁴

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The AI-171 Investigation Log: Field Notes

It’s an ongoing situation where the “human factor” is being scrutinized to a point that feels personal to the survivors and families.

• The Summons: Captain Anand, who flies for Air India himself, was told to show up today.⁵ The thing is, the notice didn’t say why. No technical basis. No expert witness status. Just a “be there.” And here’s the kicker—the FIP says it’s a violation of ICAO rules to drag family members into a technical crash probe just because of their bloodline.⁶

• The “Fuel Switch” Mystery: Why the pressure? A preliminary report from last July found the fuel supply to both engines was cut off right after takeoff.⁷ The thing is, some reports—including a controversial one from the Wall Street Journal—hinted the switches might have been moved intentionally. Pilot suicide or mechanical fluke? That’s the ₹1,000-crore question.

• The Ghost of June 12: The crash killed 260 people in total (241 on the plane and 19 on the ground).⁸ The thing is, the plane didn’t just crash; it tore through the BJ Medical College hostel where students were having lunch.⁹ Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani was among the passengers lost.¹⁰

• The Video Compromise: Despite the legal fire, Captain Anand has agreed to talk—but only via video call.¹¹ The thing is, he wants to cooperate, but he doesn’t want to be a pawn in a “predetermined narrative” against his late uncle.

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Disaster Recap: Air India Flight 171

And Here’s the Kicker…

The 91-year-old father of Captain Sabharwal is still fighting in the Supreme Court to clear his son’s name.¹³ The thing is, Boeing and the DGCA are under massive pressure. If it was a mechanical glitch, Boeing’s 787 fleet is in trouble. If it was “pilot action,” the liability shifts.

It’s an ongoing sitation where the truth is buried under layers of corporate defense and grieving families. Captain Anand’s testimony—whatever it is—might just be the AAIB’s attempt to dig into the late captain’s state of mind.

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End…

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