Aviation safety in focus as key panel meets today

Hindustan Times

09-07-2025

The aviation secretary and industry representatives will participate in a day-long safety review of the airline sector on Wednesday, days before the first report into the Air India Flight 171 tragedy is expected. Aviation safety in focus as key panel meets today
The parliamentary standing committee meeting, headed by JD(U)'s Sanjay Jha, will bring together government officials and airline executives to examine safety standards across India's civil aviation sector ahead of the crucial 30-day deadline that ends on July 11.
'The topic for discussion is overall safety of the civil aviation sector,' said a senior official, asking not to be named. The civil aviation ministry will conclude proceedings with observations on safety concerns and sector preparedness.
All major stakeholders, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), will present their safety protocols during the session scheduled to begin at 11am.
Attendees will include the civil aviation ministry secretary, senior leadership from major airlines, airport authorities, DGCA officials, and Airports Authority of India (AAI) representatives.
On June 12, Air India Flight 171 crashed moments after take-off, claiming the lives of all but one of the 242 passengers on board and killing 19 others at the medical college compound that it slammed into and burst into flames.
The Air Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) is expected this week to release its preliminary findings into the incident and a second official aware of the matter confirmed the release is on track for this week, potentially marking the first time India has issued such a report within the internationally recommended 30-day timeframe.
While the contents of the report are unknown, it will likely figure information following analysis of flight data recorders, cockpit audio, aircraft maintenance records, and crew qualifications among others.
The report will provide factual information gathered during the initial investigation phase, including basic circumstances of the accident, aircraft technical details, weather conditions at the time of the crash, and immediate observations from the accident site examination.
Generally, a determination of causes or safety recommendations are reserved for the comprehensive final report.
The 30-day deadline is part of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13 guidelines under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation – an agreement that India is a signatory to.
These internationally binding standards require the investigating state to notify ICAO immediately of any aircraft accident and submit a preliminary report within 30 days containing factual information available at that stage of the investigation.
The preliminary report serves to provide early transparency and share critical safety information with the global aviation community, even as the detailed investigation continues. Under the same ICAO framework, the comprehensive final report—which will include detailed analysis, probable cause determination, and safety recommendations—must be completed within 12 months of the accident date.
Officials emphasised the meeting addresses systemic safety issues rather than specific incidents. 'The committee is examining overall safety aspects, not just the Air India crash or recent helicopter incidents in Uttarakhand,' a third official clarified.