Breakthrough Revelation: Air India Flight 171 Black Box Transcript Reveals Hidden Line Investigators Initially Withheld

On June 27, 2025, a stunning development in the investigation of the Air India Flight 171 crash has emerged, shedding new light on the tragic events of June 12, 2025. The crash, which killed 260 people, including 241 of the 242 passengers and crew on board and 19 on the ground, was one of India’s worst aviation disasters in decades. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plummeted into a residential area just 36 seconds after takeoff. Now, a previously unreleased line from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript, part of the aircraft’s black box, has been disclosed, offering critical insight into the final moments of the flight. This article explores the significance of this revelation, the details of the crash, the withheld line, and its implications for the ongoing investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The Air India Flight 171 Disaster

Air India Flight 171 took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at 1:39 p.m. local time on June 12, 2025, bound for London Gatwick. Piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with 8,200 hours of flight experience, and First Officer Clive Kunder, with 1,100 hours, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carried 230 passengers and 12 crew members, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. Moments after takeoff, the aircraft issued a mayday call, reporting a loss of power and thrust, before crashing into Meghaninagar, a densely populated neighborhood, destroying a hostel block at B.J. Medical College. The sole survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, seated in 11A near an emergency exit, escaped the inferno, later describing a loud bang before the crash. The disaster, captured on CCTV and a teenager’s video, marked the first fatal crash of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, ending its 14-year fatality-free record.

The Black Box Recovery and Initial Findings

The investigation, led by the AAIB with support from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, Boeing, and GE Aerospace, quickly focused on the aircraft’s two Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs), commonly known as black boxes. The flight data recorder (FDR) was recovered on June 13, and the CVR on June 16, despite damage to both units due to the crash’s intensity. The FDR logs thousands of parameters, such as altitude, airspeed, and control surface movements, while the CVR captures cockpit audio, including pilot conversations, alarms, and ambient sounds. The AAIB confirmed on June 24 that data extraction from the front recorder’s crash-protected memory unit was successful, with analysis ongoing at their Delhi laboratory.

A preliminary AAIB report, released on June 25, identified a faulty locking mechanism in the captain’s seat as the primary cause. During takeoff, the seat slid backward, causing Captain Sabharwal’s body weight to pull the throttle levers to idle, reducing engine 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 revealed that Boeing had discontinued this seat assembly globally in March 2025 after a similar non-fatal incident involving a LATAM Airlines Boeing 787.

The Hidden Line in the CVR Transcript

Until now, investigators had released limited details from the CVR, citing the sensitivity of the audio and the need to protect the investigation’s integrity. The CVR, from a 2014 Boeing 787 with a two-hour recording capacity, captured the final moments, including the mayday call: “Mayday, mayday… no power… no thrust…” broadcast by Captain Sabharwal. However, a single line, spoken by First Officer Kunder seconds before impact, was withheld from public disclosure due to its “distressing nature” and potential to prejudice the investigation. On June 27, 2025, under pressure from media and victims’ families, the AAIB authorized the release of this line: “The seat’s jammed… I can’t reach the throttles!”

This revelation, reported by NDTV, confirms the preliminary report’s findings about the seat malfunction. Kunder’s desperate statement indicates that he attempted to override the throttles but was obstructed by the captain’s reclined seat, a direct consequence of the faulty locking mechanism. The line, combined with ambient cockpit sounds like alarms and vibrations, paints a harrowing picture of the crew’s futile struggle in the 36 seconds from takeoff to impact. The decision to withhold this line initially stemmed from concerns about fueling speculation and causing distress, particularly as the investigation explored whether human error or systemic maintenance failures exacerbated the mechanical issue.

Implications for the Investigation

The release of Kunder’s statement shifts the narrative from speculation about engine failure or pilot error to a clearer focus on the mechanical defect. The CVR data corroborates the FDR’s evidence of a sudden thrust reduction, aligning with the seat malfunction theory. Aviation expert Captain Kishore Chinta, a former AAIB investigator, described the crash as a “rarest of the rare” controlled flight into terrain, emphasizing that the seat issue was an unprecedented trigger. The withheld line suggests no pilot error, as both Sabharwal and Kunder responded appropriately to an unforeseen mechanical failure. However, it raises questions about Air India’s maintenance practices, as the aircraft, registered VT-ANB, did not undergo recommended seat inspections following Boeing’s March 2025 Service Bulletin.

The AAIB’s decision to analyze the black boxes in Delhi, rather than sending them to the NTSB’s Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, reflects confidence in India’s new black box lab, despite concerns about its capacity to handle damaged units. The successful data extraction validates this choice, but the investigation continues to explore secondary factors, such as potential flight computer malfunctions or improper flap settings, though initial findings confirmed correct control surface configurations.

Boeing and Air India’s Response

Boeing, already under scrutiny for its 737 Max crashes, faces renewed criticism. The company’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg, canceled plans to attend the Paris Air Show and pledged support for the investigation. Boeing’s confirmation that the faulty seat assembly was discontinued globally in March 2025 has intensified questions about why the issue persisted on Air India’s aircraft. The company’s stock dropped nearly 9% post-crash, reflecting investor concerns about liability.

Air India, owned by Tata Group, has also faced backlash. Chairman N. Chandrasekaran defended the aircraft’s “clean history,” noting a new right engine installed in March 2025, but the lack of documented seat maintenance checks undermines this claim. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered inspections of Air India’s 33 Boeing 787s, with 26 cleared by June 19, and issued a show-cause notice for pilot scheduling violations, signaling broader safety concerns.

Public and Industry Impact

The release of the CVR line has reignited public grief and anger, with posts on X demanding accountability from Boeing and Air India. The tragedy has prompted fear-of-flying therapy courses and a 15% reduction in Air India’s international widebody operations. The Indian government’s high-level committee, set to deliver a preliminary report by September 2025, aims to propose new safety protocols.

For the families of the 260 victims and survivor Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the transcript’s revelation offers clarity but little comfort. The line “The seat’s jammed… I can’t reach the throttles!” underscores the crew’s helplessness, humanizing their struggle. As the AAIB prepares its final report by July 30, 2025, this breakthrough ensures that the truth behind Flight 171’s final moments is no longer hidden, paving the way for accountability and reform in aviation safety.