The Federation of Indian Pilots has questioned the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's preliminary report regarding the AI-171 crash near Ahmedabad [1].

The dispute centers on the technical timeline of the disaster, which killed 260 people [2]. If the pilots' body is correct about system failures, the official cause of the crash may be fundamentally flawed, potentially shifting responsibility from the crew to the aircraft's mechanical systems.

The crash occurred in June 2025 [1]. One year later, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) raised concerns that the AAIB's findings do not align with actual flight dynamics. Specifically, the FIP is questioning the timeline of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment [1].

The RAT is a critical emergency power source that deploys when a plane loses primary electrical power. The FIP said simulator tests do not match the timeline outlined in the AAIB report [1]. These discrepancies suggest that the sequence of events leading to the descent was different than what investigators have presented.

Beyond the timing of the RAT, the pilots' body suggested that an earlier electrical or system fault may have contributed to the crash [1]. This theory implies a cascading failure that began before the events currently highlighted in the preliminary findings.

There is currently a contradiction regarding the status of the investigation's documentation. Some reports indicate that key findings of the preliminary report have been released [1], while other sources state that investigators have not yet released a report into the cause [2].

The FIP continues to advocate for a review of the data to ensure the final probe accurately reflects the mechanical state of the aircraft during its final moments [1].

“The Federation of Indian Pilots has questioned the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's preliminary report.”

The disagreement between the FIP and the AAIB highlights a critical tension in aviation safety: the gap between recorded data and simulated reality. If the FIP can prove that the Ram Air Turbine deployment timeline is inaccurate, it may force a re-examination of the aircraft's electrical architecture. This could lead to fleet-wide safety mandates or a shift in the legal liability for the 260 deaths.