India must fix its broken aviation investigations

Source: The post India must fix its broken aviation investigations has been created, based on the article “India needs a sincere aircraft accident investigation” published in “The Hindu” on 16 June 2025.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3-Infrastructure

Context: The June 12, 2025 Ahmedabad crash has reignited debate on India’s aviation safety and investigation framework. Despite rapid sectoral growth, investigations remain opaque and compromised. The article questions the independence of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and demands reform for transparent, accountable, and preventive aviation safety mechanisms.

For detailed information on Aviation Safety read this article here

Structural Flaws in India’s Aviation Oversight

1. Lack of Independent Investigation Authority: The AAIB, though presented as autonomous, is effectively a wing of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA). This setup causes a conflict of interest, as MoCA oversees both operations and investigations, unlike the railway sector where independent authorities investigate accidents.
2. Oversight Mechanism Is Misaligned: MoCA controls policy, airline regulation, and investigative appointments. This consolidation limits the independence required for unbiased accident assessments. Such integration erodes public trust in investigation outcomes.
3. Firefighting Instead of Prevention: Recent incidents—including helicopter crashes, flying school accidents, weather-related turbulence, and security lapses—highlight systemic issues. The current approach reacts to events rather than preemptively addressing risk, revealing a broken safety management culture.

Lessons Ignored and Reports Buried

1. 1997 Seth Committee Warnings Unheeded: The J.K. Seth Report exposed flaws such as fragmented oversight, lack of training, and regulatory capture. Though comprehensive, it was sidelined, revealing the system’s unwillingness to confront uncomfortable truths.
2. Contradictory and Sanitised Reports: Past accident investigations show internal contradictions or suppressed facts. The 1993 IC491 crash, 2001 cloud-cover misreporting, and the 2018 IX611 suspected overloading case all demonstrate selective truth-telling and data withholding.
3. Convenient Blame on Pilots: Investigations often conclude pilot error to simplify liability. This serves legal and insurance interests by deflecting blame from other responsible actors—airlines, maintenance units, and ATC—making pilots scapegoats, even posthumously.

Misuse of AAIB Reports and Legal Overreach

1. Safety Reports Treated as Legal Evidence: AAIB findings, meant to aid safety learning, are used in law enforcement without technical validation. Police and courts misinterpret “probable cause” as conclusive guilt, despite lacking aviation expertise.
2. Judiciary and Police Overstep Boundaries: Instead of deeper investigation, blame is often assigned based on visible errors. This focus on fast closure bypasses systemic analysis and obstructs real safety improvements.
3. Rule 19(3) Penalises Pilots Unfairly: The Aircraft Rules allow pilot punishment for errors, contradicting the global norm of a “no-blame” culture. Without proving gross negligence, such provisions erode morale and transparency.

Truth Suppressed for Institutional Protection

1. Systemic Evasion of Accountability: The MoCA’s centralised control shields institutions and blocks reform. Families receive incomplete or contradictory reports, and public trust is eroded by the lack of transparency and delayed justice.
2. Global Image vs. Ground Reality: While international reports cite zero fatal accidents, the 2020 Kozhikode crash, with 21 deaths, remains a glaring contradiction. Investigative recommendations remain unimplemented, indicating that safety data is being used to mask inaction.
3. Failure to Learn from Tragedy: Despite repeated failures, structural reform remains elusive. The silence after each crash speaks louder than the recommendations that follow. Institutional courage to admit and correct errors is lacking.

Roadmap for Reform and Accountability

1. Reorganise Regulatory Bodies: Move AAIB and DGCA out of MoCA control and make them report to Parliament. This ensures true autonomy and credible investigations.
2. Restrict Misuse of Findings: Legally bar the use of AAIB reports in criminal cases unless independently vetted. This will restore the original preventive purpose of investigations.
3. Revise Legal Provisions and Create Oversight: Amend Rule 19(3) to safeguard honest pilots. Appoint an independent ombudsman to audit past investigations and ensure fair handling.
4. Reclaiming Truth and Trust: India must prioritise truth over image. Honest investigation is not just a technical need—it is a moral obligation. That, and not managed silence, should be India’s tribute to lives lost.

Question for practice:

Examine how the lack of independence in India’s aviation investigation system affects the credibility and effectiveness of aircraft accident inquiries.