NEW DELHI: Govt has granted a one-year extension to Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) director-general G V G Yugandhar, with some key ongoing investigations — including Air India AI 171 crash — awaiting their final reports. The reason: Having a new DG at a time like this could delay the final report into the June 12, 2025, Ahmedabad crash. Accordingly the aviation ministry had recommended an extension for Yugandhar, who retired as Indian Air Force group captain earlier this year, and the same was approved about a month back.The key probes that are currently underway have AI 171 Air India right at the top followed by Air India’s turbulent Phuket-Delhi flight of Aug 4, 2026, and some other crucial cases. AI 171 report is learnt to be in its final stage and will be shared with stakeholders as per rules once ready.People in the know say while the aviation ministry “keeps the aircraft accident investigating agency at an arm’s length and does not interfere in its working in any way,” it is taking steps to strengthen the AAIB. The bureau’s lab has been recently upgraded and it now has the capability to download cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder (black box) to know the conversation in the flight deck and the flight parameters till before an event being investigated.It is learnt that the aviation ministry is working on having regional offices of AAIB to ensure investigators reach the site of accident/incident at the earliest. Additionally, this is to augment the bureau’s infra at a time when India’s aviation is seeing a boom right from the number of flight training schools to aircraft in fleet of Indian operators with the figure currently being close to 900.
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Aurobindo Handa, who was with IAF director (engineering) till Oct 2018 and then joined AAIB as DG on deputation where he remained for 3.5 years, said: “Some steps have been taken to strengthen AAIB but a lot more has to be done. The plan is to have regional offices wherever DGCA has the same. The same must be staffed by non DGCA people to avoid ‘conflict of interest’. The investigator’s execution has to be like a clockwork mechanism as its scientific reports pinpointing cause/s of accident/incident are crucial for air safety to prevent the same thing from happening again. And to achieve the outcomes, immaculate staffing is the most important function.”AAIB was formed in 2012 following an ICAO objection that the regulator (DGCA) can’t be the investigator. Till then panels packed with DGCA officials used to conduct probes into accidents and incidents.