Archive · 29 Nov 2025
Disagreements Mark Air India Crash Probe
There was a big plane crash in India on June 12.
Experts from India and the U.S. are trying to figure out what happened.
They had some arguments.
The Indians wanted to decode the plane's black boxes in a place called Korwa, but the Americans didn't want to go there because they thought it wasn't safe.
The Americans also thought the Indians were not working fast enough.
The Indians said they could do the job just as well as the Americans.
The black boxes showed that someone in the cockpit turned off the engines' fuel supply.
The Indians and Americans didn't always agree on how to handle the wreckage or share information.
It's all a bit complicated, but they're trying to work together to find out what went wrong.
Indian and American aviation experts had disagreements over the venue and process of decoding Black Boxes of Air India flight AI 171.
Indian authorities wanted to use a facility at Korwa in Uttar Pradesh, but American officials refused due to safety concerns.
Tensions arose over the handling of wreckage and the pace of the investigation.
Black Box data showed someone in the cockpit moved the switches that cut off the engine’s fuel supply.
Indian authorities released little public information, leading to false information online.
- Who
- Indian and American aviation experts
- What
- Disagreements over the venue and process of decoding Black Boxes of Air India flight AI 171
- When
- Late June, following the crash on June 12
- Where
- New Delhi, India
- Why
- Differing opinions on safety, communication, and investigation procedures
Indian Perspective
American Perspective
Venue of Black Box Decoding
Indian Perspective
Indian authorities wanted to use a facility at Korwa in Uttar Pradesh to keep things out of media glare.
American Perspective
American officials refused to travel to a remote area due to safety concerns and security warnings.
Handling of Wreckage
Indian Perspective
Indian authorities moved some of the wreckage before U.S. investigators could examine it.
American Perspective
American investigators were not allowed to take their own photos of the wreckage initially.
Communication and Coordination
Indian Perspective
Indian officials insisted on their capability to handle the complex probe.
American Perspective
American officials felt Indian investigators weren't prioritizing downloading and analyzing Black-Box information.
- Date of Crash
- June 12
- Plane Model
- Boeing 787 Dreamliner
- Black Box Decoding Venue
- Delhi
- Key Indian Official
- G.V.G. Yugandhar, Chief of India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)
- Key American Official
- Jennifer Homendy, U.S. Transportation Official
- Engine Fuel Cutoff
- Data showed someone in the cockpit moved the switches that cut off the engine’s fuel supply.
- Pilot Actions
- Captain didn’t pull back on the yoke; First Officer pulled up at the end.