Air India crash probe enters final stages

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has advanced to the final stages of its investigation into the fatal Air India crash that claimed 260 lives. The probe has progressed to analyzing a cockpit voice recorder transcript and conducting a psychological autopsy, according to a recent court filing.

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The filing did not identify whose psychological autopsy was conducted or disclose any findings on the crash of the Boeing 787 that killed 260 people shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India.

While the filing did not specify whose psychological autopsy was performed or reveal any findings, it indicated that further analysis of data from an engine monitoring unit, retrieved in late May, is still pending. The AAIB also noted that an assessment of certain organizational factors remains ongoing.

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An analysis of data retrieved in late May from an engine monitoring unit was still awaited and an assessment of certain organisational factors remained in progress.

Investigators have interviewed a wide range of individuals connected to the incident. These include Air India 787 pilots, former crew members of the crashed aircraft's pilots, technical staff involved in the jet's preparation, air traffic controllers, meteorologists, and human-factors specialists. Families of the flight crew were also approached early in the investigation.

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The AAIB said media speculation and narratives attributing blame to the pilots had caused some witnesses to become “restrictive and non-responsive”.

The AAIB stated that media speculation and blame directed at the pilots had made some witnesses hesitant to cooperate. The investigation is now focused on the analysis phase, where conclusions are being drawn across operational, technical, human-factors, and organizational domains. The bureau anticipates completing remaining activities within approximately six weeks, contingent on external factors. A draft report is expected around October, followed by a comment period for relevant countries before finalization and publication.

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The AAIB said it expected the remaining investigation activities to be completed within about six weeks, subject to pending "external dependencies".