Ahmedabad Air India probe: Meet the AAIB team investigating flight AI 171 crash

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A five-member expert team, led by 56-year-old Sanjay Kumar Singh, is investigating the deadly Air India crash that occurred on June 12 in Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives.

Singh, Director of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), is the designated Investigator-in-Charge, while Deputy Director Jasbir Singh Larhga serves as the Chief Investigator.

The remaining team members are from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA): Deputy Director Vipin Venu Varakoth, Assistant Director Veeraragavan K, and Air Safety Officer Vaishnav Vijayakumar.

Investigator Profiles

Sanjay Kumar Singh

AAIB Director Sanjay Kumar Singh brings over 15 years of experience in aviation accident investigation. He has managed probes into 15 major accidents and classified more than 300 aviation occurrences. Singh holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in Aeronautical Engineering, and an MBA. His LinkedIn profile indicates over 25 years of consulting and operational experience in the Indian Air Force.

Jasbir Singh Larhga

Larhga has participated in several high-profile investigations, including the Kozhikode Air India Express crash (2020), Jet Airways’ runway excursion in Goa (2016), and an Air India Express taxiway incident in Mangalore (2019). He has previously worked with the DGCA, Pawan Hans, and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

Vipin Venu Varakoth

Varakoth is currently the Assistant Director of Air Safety at the DGCA in Mumbai, where he has served for over seven years. His background includes a long stint as an Air Safety Officer.

Veeraragavan K

Veeraragavan has been an Assistant Director of Air Safety at the DGCA for nearly four years. Prior to that, he worked as an Air Safety Officer in Delhi for nine years and also held a role as an analysis engineer at Tata Consultancy Services in Chennai.

Vaishnav Vijayakumar

An Air Safety Officer at the DGCA, Vijayakumar has participated in numerous aircraft accident and incident investigations.

The five-member team was formally appointed by AAIB Director General G.V.G. Yugandhar to conduct the inquiry into the June 12 crash. Their findings will form the basis for further action to improve aviation safety and accountability.

The AAIB released its 15-page preliminary report late Friday, stating that wreckage recovery and drone mapping at the site have been completed. The aircraft debris has been secured at a facility near the airport. Subject matter experts—including pilots, engineers, aviation psychologists, and flight recorder analysts—have also been roped in to support the investigation.