AAIB ropes in veteran pilot in Al crash probe

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has expanded its panel by including veteran pilot and Air India’s former director of operations Captain RS Sandhu asa domain expert in the ongoing probe into the Ahmedabad plane crash that killed 260 people last month, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

- Neha LM Tripathi

The development to rope in Capt. Sandhu, a former B787 examiner, comes after several experts highlighted the need for a technical expert on the panel investigating the crash.

“Capt. Sandhu, who is the founder of aviation consultancy firm Aviazione, was approached by the AAIB chief to join the panel,” an official aware of the development said, requesting anonymity. “Capt. Sandhu is also the person who took delivery of the B787 that crashed on July 12.”

Sandhu, who was with Air India for close to 39 years in various capacities, had also headed a team that worked on the integration of the Tata Group airlines.

The AAIB did not respond to HT's request for a comment.

“The AAIB has the right to include domain experts as and when required during the investigation,” Aurobindo Handa, former AAIB director general, said.