CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF? EVALUATING INDIA’S AVIATION SAFETY POST AI-171 CRASH
- airandspacelaw
- Jun 12
- 4 min read
The Air India Flight AI171 Tragedy
In a devastating aviation tragedy, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The crash occurred just moments after departure at approximately 1:38 PM IST on June 12, 2025.
The aircraft, bearing registration number VT-ANB, lost contact with air traffic control at an altitude of 825 feet. There were 242 individuals on board, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Among the passengers were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 1 Canadian national.
Emergency services were immediately deployed to the scene. However, rescue efforts were severely hampered by the intensity of the blaze and by the aircraft’s full fuel load. In response to the incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) promptly launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
This recent disaster follows a long history of severe air crashes in India. One of the deadliest was the Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision in 1996, where a Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 and a Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76 collided mid-air near Delhi, killing all 349 people aboard both aircraft. Another major tragedy occurred in 2010 with Air India Express Flight 812, which overshot the runway at Mangalore Airport and crashed into a valley. The accident claimed 158 lives. More recently, in August 2020, Air India Express Flight 1344 crash-landed at Kozhikode airport under heavy rain. The aircraft overran the wet surface and broke apart, resulting in 21 fatalities. Other incidents involve Air India Flight 403 in 1982, Flight 113 in Ahmedabad (1988) and Flight 605 in Bengaluru (1990).
Major reasons contributing to aeroplane crashes include human error, challenging weather conditions, infrastructure limitations, technical failures, regulatory gaps, and air traffic control issues. Pilot mistakes such as misjudgements during landing, failure to initiate go-arounds, and fatigue have been major contributors, as seen in the Mangalore and Kozhikode incidents. India’s monsoon season and difficult weather conditions additionally complicate flight operations, increasing risks during take-off and landing. Many Indian airports have tabletop runways with limited safety zones, which elevate the danger of runway overshoots. Technical failures, although less frequent, raise concerns about aircraft maintenance and manufacturer responsibility.
Legal Implications of the Air India AI171 Flight Crash
Role of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in the investigation
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is an independent agency established under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2012, functioning under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It is responsible for investigating civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents occurring within Indian territory or involving Indian-registered aircraft abroad. The AAIB operates separately from regulatory authorities, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), to ensure impartiality and objectivity in its investigations. Its primary role is to determine the causes and contributing factors of aviation accidents and issue safety recommendations to prevent future incidents and enhance overall aviation safety.
Role of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is India's apex civil aviation regulatory body, functioning under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It is responsible for enforcing air safety regulations, certifying aircraft and air operators, issuing pilot licenses, and ensuring compliance with international aviation standards. These include monitoring compliance with airworthiness standards, reviewing airline and crew records, and assessing any breaches of safety norms. Post-accident, the DGCA may initiate spot audits, safety assessments, and fleet-wide inspections to rule out systemic issues. It also collaborates with the AAIB during investigations by providing technical data, operational histories, and licensing documentation. After the AAIB issues its findings, the DGCA is responsible for enforcing safety recommendations, issuing circulars or directives,
Compensation Scheme
a) Compensation for Onboard Passengers and Crew India, as a signatory to the Montreal Convention, 1999, applies its two-tier liability system to international flights. The liability extends to proven damages if airline negligence or wrongful act is established. Compensation covers pecuniary losses, medical expenses, and funeral costs.
b) Ground victims in the context of an aircraft accident are individuals who are not on board the aircraft but suffer injury, death, or property damage because of the crash. Unlike passengers, ground victims are not covered under the Montreal Convention, 1999, which limits its scope to those on board. Indian courts often apply strict or absolute liability principles to aviation operators for ground damage. Claims for fatalities rely on the Fatal Accidents Act, 1855, which requires proving a wrongful act or negligence.
c) Another statutory compensation provision includes the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which broadly defines disaster as man-made calamities such as aircraft crashes. Under this Act, ex gratia relief may be provided to victims through the National Disaster Response Fund. However, such relief is discretionary and rehabilitative, and it is not considered legal compensation as a matter of right. It cannot fully address the long-term losses of affected individuals.
Aircraft safety protocols in India
Indian aviation law mandates stringent safety protocols to ensure the utmost protection of passengers. These protocols include the requirement for aircraft to maintain certified airworthiness. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) oversees this process, conducting routine inspections and possessing the authority to ground aircraft deemed unsafe. Aircraft models that are older or have known safety concerns are subjected to more frequent and rigorous examinations to mitigate risks.
Pilot qualifications and training is another component of aviation safety in India. Pilots must hold valid Commercial Pilot Licenses granted or sanctioned by the DGCA and are required to participate in continuous simulator training, medical evaluations, and must accumulate mandatory flying hours to retain certification. The DGCA closely monitors pilot experience, wherein differences in flight hours between captain and co-pilot are scrutinized. Airlines additionally are obligated to deploy Flight Data Recorders and Cockpit Voice Recorders to facilitate detailed flight monitoring and the identification of mechanical or human errors.
Conclusion
While safety protocols exist on paper, regulatory bodies must ensure compliance across all airlines and operators. This includes conducting surprise inspections, audits, and thorough reviews of maintenance records to ensure adherence to prescribed standards. Scheduled maintenance programs must be followed, and any deviations from them must be treated as serious violations subject to penalties.
Sources
Comments