Air India Crash: 'Pilot Not to Blame', Supreme Court Tells Father

Nov 7, 2025 – The Supreme Court on Friday, November 7, issued a notice to the Central Government and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in response to a plea for judicial inquiry filed by Pushkaraj Sabharwal, the father of Air India pilot Sumeet Sabharwal who was killed in the Ahmedabad air crash on June 12, 2025.

His father had approached the Court after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report in July saying that fuel supply to both engines was cut off shortly after takeoff leading to speculation of “pilot error” for the crash in an article published in Wall Street Journal.

The Court told senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing on behalf of the 91-year-old father, that the family should not bear the burden of any such allegations.

The petition was being heard by the Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi. The judges told the petitioner that none of the 1.42 crore Indians believed that pilot Sabharwal was at fault.

"No one in India believes it was the pilot's fault. There's no insinuation against the pilot (in the preliminary report. One pilot asked whether the fuel was cut-off by the other; the other said no)," Justice Kant said.

"You should not carry burden on yourself. The pilot is not to be blamed for the plane crash. It was an accident. There is no insinuation against him even in the preliminary report,” the Bench told the father.

Sumeet Sabharwal was the pilot-in-command of the Air India Boeing Dreamliner that crashed within minutes of takeoff killing 260 people.

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