Air India AI171 crash, pilot details, Sumeet Sabharwal, Clive Kunder, B787-8, AAIB report, Pilot in Command, co-pilot, breath analyser, pilot hours, flying experience

The preliminary report by the AAIB into the Air India Flight AI171 crash confirms that both flight crew members were qualified and declared fit to operate the aircraft before it crashed in Ahmedabad on 12 June, killing all 241 on board.

Specifically, the preliminary report indicates:

The flight crew comprised:

  • Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, who served as Pilot in Command (PIC) and was the Pilot Monitoring (PM) for the flight.
  • Clive Kunder, 32, the Co-pilot and designated Pilot Flying (PF), who was among those killed in the crash.

Also read: 15 critical observations revealed in AAIB’s probe into Air India crash

According to the report:

Both pilots were based in Mumbai and had arrived in Ahmedabad the previous day, receiving adequate rest prior to duty.

At 06:25 UTC (11:55 IST) on the day of departure, both underwent a pre-flight Breath Analyzer test, which found them fit to operate Flight AI171.

Flight Experience (as per AAIB)

Pilot in Command (Capt. Sabharwal):

  • License: Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL)
  • Total Flight Hours: 15,638 hours 22 minutes
  • Experience on B787-8: 8,596 hours 43 minutes
  • As PIC on B787-8: 8,260 hours 43 minutes

Also read: Did a fuel cutoff cause the AI171 crash — and what have Air India and Boeing said so far?

Co-pilot (Clive Kunder):

  • License: Commercial Pilot License (CPL)
  • Total Flight Hours: 3,403 hours 12 minutes
  • Experience on B787-8: 1,128 hours 14 minutes
  • As PIC on B787-8: 0 hours

While the Co-pilot had no command experience on the aircraft type, his total flying hours on the Dreamliner were within regulatory norms for acting as Pilot Flying under supervision.

Both pilots were based in Mumbai and had arrived in Ahmedabad the previous day, having had adequate rest before operating the flight. They also underwent a pre-flight Breath Analyzer test at 06:25 UTC and were found fit to operate the flight

The AAIB's initial findings confirm that the crew were not impaired and were appropriately rested and licensed. The focus of the ongoing investigation now shifts to the mechanical and procedural factors leading to the crash.