What should have been a routine international flight turned into one of the deadliest air disasters in recent Indian aviation history.
Now, weeks after the horrific crash of Air India Flight 171, new questions are emerging—not just about mechanical failures, but about the mental state of the pilot behind the controls that day.
Catastrophe Strikes Seconds After Takeoff
On June 12, Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, took off from Ahmedabad, bound for Gatwick, but crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar just seconds later.
The toll was devastating: 241 people on board were killed, along with 19 people on the ground.
The initial findings pointed to something alarming—two critical fuel switches were turned off just after takeoff, cutting power to the engines.
Though the switches were later flipped back on, it was already too late. The plane had lost power and was plummeting.
Fuel Switches Required Deliberate Action
What makes this even more baffling is that these particular switches aren’t easily triggered.
Investigators say they aren’t push buttons; they’re lever-style controls that must be physically lifted and flipped—a process that requires deliberate action.
In short, they can’t just be bumped by accident.
This led experts, like Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a respected voice in Indian aviation safety, to suggest something many hoped wasn’t true: the possibility of a deliberate act by one of the pilots.
Spotlight Turns to Captain Sabharwal’s Mental State
That brings us to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot in command.
With over 8,200 flight hours under his belt, he was no rookie.
But according to multiple sources, including current and former Air India colleagues, he had been battling mental health challenges and had taken time off in recent years due to depression and bereavement.
He was said to be considering early retirement to care for his elderly father and had previously been on bereavement leave after losing his mother.
While Air India reportedly cleared him medically to fly, some insiders claim otherwise.
Conflicting Claims About Medical Records
Air India has declined to make any detailed public statements about the captain’s medical history.
However, a source within the airline’s parent company, Tata Group, insisted that no medical leave was recorded and that both pilots had passed Class I medical exams within the past two years.
These exams evaluate not just physical health, but also psychological fitness for flight.
Tension Builds Over Preliminary Findings
The preliminary crash report sparked even more controversy.
In cockpit voice recordings, one pilot is heard asking the other: “Why did he cut off?”, with the other pilot replying, “I did not do so.”
That one chilling exchange has thrown open the door to every possibility—from a tragic mistake to something more sinister.
Experts also noted that the fuel levers were later found in the “run” position at the crash site—suggesting the pilots tried to recover the engines.
One engine was starting to relight, the other still in the process, but the aircraft had already descended too far to recover.
FAA Warning Adds to the Confusion
Adding to the pile of uncertainty is a 2018 FAA warning about similar fuel switches on some Boeing 737s.
The bulletin stated that if the locking feature was disengaged, the switches could move between “on” and “off” without being lifted—potentially causing accidental shutdowns.
However, Air India noted that the advisory wasn’t mandatory and didn’t perform additional inspections on the aircraft’s switches.
Families of Victims Cry Cover-Up
While experts debate over what might have happened, families of the victims are not buying the official story.
Ameen Siddiqui, who lost his brother-in-law, his wife, and their 4-year-old daughter, called the findings a “cover-up” designed to protect Air India and the government.
“They want to blame pilots who are no longer here to speak for themselves,” he said.
“This report is wrong. We don’t accept it.”
Sole Survivor Emerges from the Ashes
Amid the wreckage, a single survivor was found: Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who had been traveling with his brother on a business trip.
Seated in 11A by the exit, he somehow made it out alive—while his brother, seated across the aisle, tragically did not survive the explosion.
Eleven children, including two newborns, were also among the lives lost.
Air India Responds With Condolences But Limited Details
In a brief statement, Air India offered condolences to the victims’ families and affirmed its support during the ongoing investigation.
“We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time,” a spokesperson said.
However, when pressed for comment on the findings and mental health concerns, the airline referred all inquiries to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).