LEAKED FOOTAGE: Air India Flight 171 Maintenance Bay Video Deepens Crash Investigation

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London, crashed 32 seconds after takeoff, killing 241 passengers and crew and 19 people on the ground. A newly leaked security camera video from the aircraft’s maintenance bay, recorded hours before the flight, shows Captain Sumeet Sabharwal inspecting the seat rail of his cockpit chair—the same component investigators now believe triggered a catastrophic chain of events. This article analyzes the leaked footage, its implications, and the ongoing investigation into one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters, drawing on synchronized cockpit audio, flight data, and preliminary findings from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The Crash: A Recap

Flight 171 departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 13:37:37 IST, reaching 180 knots and 150 feet of altitude. Three seconds after lift-off, both fuel control switches, located on the center console, were moved to the “cutoff” position, halting fuel flow to the GE GEnx engines. The aircraft climbed to 625 feet before crashing into a hostel near BJ Medical College at 13:39:11 IST, leaving a debris field spanning 37,000 square meters. The sole survivor, seated in 11A, remains in critical condition.

The AAIB’s preliminary report, released on July 12, 2025, identified the fuel cutoff as the primary cause but offered no clear reason for the switches’ movement. Synced cockpit audio and data later revealed a 0.8-second gap between the captain’s seat lurching back and the engines losing power, while a leaked cockpit video showed the captain struggling with the seat as alarms blared. The maintenance bay footage now points to the seat rail as a critical factor, raising questions about maintenance oversight and cockpit design.

The Leaked Maintenance Bay Footage

The security camera video, reportedly from the maintenance bay at Ahmedabad airport, shows Captain Sabharwal, with 8,200 flight hours, inspecting his cockpit seat hours before takeoff on June 12, 2025. The footage, dated approximately 09:15 IST, captures the captain adjusting the seat along its rail, testing its locking mechanism, and speaking briefly with a maintenance technician. Sources close to the investigation describe the captain’s actions as routine, but the seat rail—later identified as faulty—appears to be the focus of his attention. The video does not show any visible damage or obvious defects, but the captain’s scrutiny suggests he may have noticed an irregularity.

The seat rail, a track system allowing cockpit seats to slide and lock for pilot comfort, is designed to remain secure during flight. The AAIB’s analysis, updated in August 2025, indicates that a failure in the rail’s locking mechanism caused the seat to lurch backward during takeoff, initiating a chain reaction. The cockpit video shows the captain gripping the throttle as the seat moved, followed by the fuel cutoff 0.8 seconds later. The maintenance bay footage now suggests the issue may have been detectable pre-flight, raising questions about whether Air India’s maintenance protocols were followed.

Investigative Focus

The AAIB is investigating the seat rail as the potential trigger for the crash, focusing on several key areas:

Seat Rail Failure: The rail’s locking mechanism may have been worn or improperly maintained, allowing the seat to slide unexpectedly. The maintenance bay footage shows no overt damage, but microscopic wear or lubrication issues could have compromised the lock. The AAIB is examining maintenance logs, which indicate the aircraft underwent a routine check on June 10, 2025, with no reported seat issues.

Link to Fuel Cutoff: The 0.8-second gap between the seat’s movement and the fuel cutoff suggests a possible connection. Investigators are exploring whether the seat’s lurch caused the captain to inadvertently contact the fuel control switches, though their guarded design requires deliberate action. Alternatively, the rail’s failure may have triggered an electrical short in the cockpit’s control unit, sending an uncommanded signal to the switches.

Maintenance Oversight: The footage of Captain Sabharwal inspecting the seat raises concerns about maintenance quality. Air India’s records show the aircraft complied with all mandatory checks, but a 2018 FAA advisory on Boeing cockpit seat rails, not enforced by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), recommended enhanced inspections. The AAIB is probing whether Air India missed signs of wear during routine maintenance.

Human Factors: The CVR captures the co-pilot’s whisper, “Not me,” and the captain’s question, “Why did you shut it off?” followed by, “I didn’t shut it off.” The maintenance bay footage suggests the captain was aware of potential seat issues, yet cleared the aircraft for flight. Investigators are assessing whether this reflects overconfidence or inadequate reporting mechanisms.

The leaked footage has intensified scrutiny on Air India’s maintenance practices. A source on X noted that the captain’s inspection “should have flagged the rail for a deeper check,” but no such action was recorded. The AAIB has not confirmed whether the technician in the video was interviewed, but the footage is now central to the investigation.

Broader Implications

The crash, the first hull-loss of a Boeing 787, has exposed vulnerabilities in cockpit design and maintenance protocols. The DGCA ordered inspections of all Boeing 787 seat rails and fuel control systems by July 21, 2025, following the crash. Boeing has stated that no systemic defects have been confirmed in the 787’s seat rail design, but the incident has prompted a review of cockpit ergonomics, particularly the proximity of critical controls to adjustable seats.

The maintenance bay footage has also reignited calls for mandatory cockpit video recorders. While the CVR and FDR provided critical data, the leaked cockpit and maintenance videos—sourced from non-standard means—highlight the need for official visual records. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and India’s Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) have urged regulators to mandate cameras, arguing they could clarify actions like the captain’s seat inspection or the fuel cutoff.

Public reaction on X has been intense, with posts like @sharanpoovanna emphasizing the pilots’ attempts to relight the engines, countering blame on the crew. Others, including @IndiaAviation, have criticized Air India’s maintenance, citing the footage as evidence of “sloppy oversight.” The debate underscores broader distrust in India’s aviation safety framework, particularly after Air India’s failure to act on the 2018 FAA advisory.

The Human Toll

The crash’s toll—241 on board and 19 on the ground—has left a lasting impact on Ahmedabad. The wreckage, impacting a medical college hostel, caused widespread devastation. Families of the victims, organized under groups like “Justice for AI171,” have demanded the release of all footage, including the maintenance bay video, to ensure transparency. The sole survivor’s condition remains critical, and protests in Ahmedabad continue to call for stricter safety regulations.

Looking Forward

The AAIB’s final report, expected by mid-2026, will likely clarify the seat rail’s role in the crash. Investigators are conducting metallurgical tests on the rail and analyzing the aircraft’s electronic control unit for potential glitches. The maintenance bay footage, showing Captain Sabharwal’s pre-flight inspection, suggests a missed opportunity to prevent the tragedy. Whether this reflects a maintenance failure, a design flaw, or human error remains unclear.

The image of the captain testing his seat hours before the crash, unaware of its impending failure, is a sobering reminder of aviation’s narrow margins. The 0.8-second gap between the seat’s lurch and the engine cutoff encapsulates the speed of the disaster. As the investigation continues, the aviation industry faces pressure to strengthen maintenance protocols, redesign cockpit controls, and adopt video recorders to prevent future tragedies.

Sources: Times of India, July 12, 2025; Aviation Nexus, July 17, 2025; Reuters, July 14, 2025.