As pilot error emerges as the likely culprit for the crash of Air India 171 (if for nothing else than via process of elimination), here’s what we know about the two pilots who were at the controls when the Air India Boeing 787 crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025.

Profile Of Air India 171 Pilots

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder were the crew of Flight AI171. Both of their backgrounds are now under intense scrutiny as investigators focus on cockpit actions.

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was well-respected by his colleagues, though a recent personal event raises questions about his struggles with depression.

• 56 years old
• Commercial pilot license valid until May 2026
• 15,638 total flight hours (8,596 hours on Boeing 787)
• Previously flew Boeing 777 and Airbus A310
• Known as a “gentleman” by colleagues, last checked in with family before departure
• His mother died in 2022
• Was purportedly planning an early retirement to care for his father
• Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a “leading aviation safety expert in India,” told The UK Telegraph: “I have heard from several Air India pilots who told me he had some depression and mental health issues. He had taken time off from flying in the last three to four years. He had taken medical leave for that.”
• TATA, the parent company of Air India, pushed back, saying, “He did take bereavement leave in 2022 following his mother’s death, and his medical records were submitted as part of the investigation, and the preliminary report did not find anything noteworthy.”

First Officer Clive Kunder

First Office Clive Kunder was also well-respected by peers and had grown up as an av-geek, training to be a pilot in the United States.

• 32 years old
• Commercial pilot licence valid until September 2025
• 3,403 total flight hours (1,128 hours on Boeing 787)
• Previously flew Cessna 172, Piper PA-34 Seneca, and Airbus A320
• Trained to fly in Florida
• Started flying small aircraft in 2012 and joined Air India in 2017
• Was the pilot flying during takeoff
• Purportedly engaged to be married within two months

 

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CONCLUSION

Both Captain Sabharwal and First Officer Kunder were experienced and fully certified. The preliminary report highlights that both engines lost thrust after the fuel cutoff switches moved to “CUTOFF,” but it does not conclude who moved them or why. Since Kunder was flying the aircraft on AI171, it is more likely that Sabharwal had the opportunity to flip the switches off.

Investigators are now focused on cockpit dynamics, human factors, and whether fatigue, miscommunication, or malice played a role.