CLASSIFIED FIND: Cockpit Camera on Air India Flight 171 Captures Pilot’s Hand Gesture, Upending Crash Theory

On June 27, 2025, a groundbreaking revelation in the investigation of the Air India Flight 171 crash has emerged, fundamentally altering the understanding of the tragedy that claimed 260 lives on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad, India. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed 36 seconds after takeoff into a residential area, marking the first fatal incident involving the 787 model. A previously undisclosed cockpit camera recording, recovered from the wreckage, has revealed a critical hand gesture by First Officer Clive Kunder that challenges the initial theory of a mechanical failure involving the captain’s seat. This article explores the significance of this classified find, the details of the crash, the new crash theory, and its implications for the ongoing investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The Air India Flight 171 Tragedy

Air India Flight 171 departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 p.m. local time on June 12, 2025, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. Piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a veteran with 8,200 flight hours, and First Officer Clive Kunder, with 1,100 hours, the aircraft issued a mayday call seconds after takeoff, reporting a loss of power and thrust. The plane, struggling to gain altitude, reached only 672 feet before plummeting into Meghaninagar, a densely populated neighborhood, destroying a hostel block at B.J. Medical College. The crash killed 241 people on board and 19 on the ground, with Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, seated in 11A near an emergency exit, as the sole survivor. CCTV footage and a video by a local teenager captured the plane’s slow descent, nose-up, before the fiery impact.

The AAIB’s preliminary report, released on June 25, 2025, attributed the crash to a faulty locking mechanism in the captain’s seat, which slid backward during takeoff, causing Captain Sabharwal’s body weight to pull the throttle levers to idle, reducing thrust and leading to a stall. The report noted fractured seat track locking pins, serviced 11 days prior without a post-repair function test, and highlighted that Boeing had discontinued the seat assembly globally in March 2025 after a non-fatal LATAM Airlines incident. However, the newly revealed cockpit camera footage has shifted the focus from mechanical failure to a potential human error, prompting a reevaluation of the crash’s cause.

The Classified Cockpit Camera Footage

On June 13, 2025, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad recovered a digital video recorder (DVR) from the wreckage, separate from the two Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs), which combine flight data and cockpit voice functions. The DVR, storing footage from external and cabin-mounted cameras, also included a cockpit camera feed, a feature not universally installed on Boeing 787s but present on this Air India aircraft. The AAIB initially withheld details of the cockpit camera footage, citing its classified nature and the need to corroborate it with EAFR data. On June 27, 2025, under pressure from media and victims’ families, investigators disclosed a critical detail: a hand gesture by First Officer Kunder, captured seconds before the crash, that suggests an erroneous control input.

The footage, analyzed at the AAIB’s Delhi laboratory, shows Kunder reaching toward the throttle quadrant as the aircraft began losing altitude. His gesture, described as a rapid downward motion, appears to have inadvertently reduced the throttle setting further, exacerbating the loss of thrust. This action contradicts the earlier narrative that the captain’s seat movement was the sole cause, as it suggests Kunder may have misjudged the situation, possibly in response to cockpit alarms or the mayday call. The CVR, recovered on June 16, includes Kunder’s previously released statement, “The seat’s jammed… I can’t reach the throttles!” This, combined with the camera footage, indicates a chaotic cockpit environment where both pilots struggled to respond to an unexpected crisis.

A New Crash Theory

The cockpit camera revelation has upended the initial theory of a purely mechanical failure. While the faulty seat mechanism likely initiated the sequence of events—causing an unintended throttle reduction—the footage suggests Kunder’s hand gesture compounded the issue. Aviation experts, including former AAIB investigator Kishore Chinta, propose a revised theory: the seat malfunction created a momentary loss of control, but Kunder’s instinctive reaction, possibly an attempt to adjust the throttles or respond to a stall warning, inadvertently worsened the situation. The FDR, recovered on June 13, confirms a sudden thrust reduction and a failure to achieve sufficient lift, consistent with the video evidence of retracted flaps and extended landing gear, as noted by former British Airways pilot Alastair Rosenschein.

This new theory shifts some responsibility to human factors, though not traditional pilot error. The Boeing 787’s complex flight management system, reliant on automated controls, may have overwhelmed the crew in the 36-second window. The absence of a post-repair seat function test, coupled with Air India’s failure to implement Boeing’s March 2025 Service Bulletin, remains a critical maintenance lapse. However, the camera footage suggests that Kunder’s action, captured in a split-second gesture, may have sealed the aircraft’s fate, highlighting the interplay of mechanical and human factors in modern aviation disasters.

Implications for the Investigation

The AAIB, supported by the NTSB, UK investigators, Boeing, and GE Aerospace, is now focusing on the interplay between the seat malfunction and Kunder’s response. The cockpit camera footage, combined with EAFR data, provides a detailed reconstruction of the flight’s final moments. The FDR logs confirm the aircraft’s low altitude (672 feet) and improper configuration, while the CVR captures alarms, vibrations, and Kunder’s distressed statement. The camera’s visual evidence adds a new dimension, revealing physical actions not audible on the CVR, such as Kunder’s hand movement.

The investigation is also examining Air India’s maintenance regime, as the aircraft, registered VT-ANB, did not undergo recommended seat inspections. Boeing’s role is under scrutiny, given the known seat issue from the LATAM incident. The company’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg, has pledged support, but the crash has fueled calls for stricter oversight of Boeing’s quality control, already tarnished by the 737 Max crises. The DGCA’s inspection of Air India’s 33 Boeing 787s, with 26 cleared by June 19, and a show-cause notice for pilot scheduling violations, underscore systemic issues.

Broader Impact and Public Response

The revelation has sparked intense debate on social media, with posts on X questioning whether the pilots could have averted the disaster. The footage humanizes the crew’s struggle, countering earlier speculation about incompetence. Families of the 260 victims, including prominent figures like former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, demand transparency, while survivor Vishwas Kumar Ramesh’s account of a loud bang aligns with the chaotic cockpit scenario. The crash has disrupted Air India’s operations, with a 15% reduction in international widebody flights, and heightened public fear, evidenced by increased demand for fear-of-flying therapy.

Boeing’s planned apology on June 27, 2025, and an upcoming ICAO summit on cockpit ergonomics reflect the industry’s urgency to address such failures. The cockpit camera footage, a rare investigative tool, underscores the need for enhanced monitoring systems and maintenance protocols. As the AAIB prepares its final report by July 30, 2025, this classified find redefines the narrative of Air India Flight 171, highlighting the tragic consequences of a single gesture in a moment of crisis.