Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau

What Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau does

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is an attached office of India's Ministry of Civil Aviation, established on July 30, 2012, to fulfill India's obligations under Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention). Its sole mandate, codified under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, is the prevention of future accidents and incidents through the systematic investigation of civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents occurring in Indian airspace, specifically covering aircraft with all-up weight greater than 2,250 kg or any turbojet aircraft. Since inception, AAIB has investigated 117 accidents and 131 serious incidents/incidents, and it is currently managing over 20 active investigations, including the high-profile Air India Flight AI-171 Boeing 787-8 crash of June 12, 2025.

AAIB's core deliverables comprise Aircraft Accident Investigation Services (the primary mandate), Safety Studies drawn from accumulated occurrence data, Safety Recommendations forwarded to DGCA and other regulatory bodies for implementation, and publicly published Final and Preliminary Investigation Reports. Underlying technical capabilities include flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) analysis, perishable evidence collection (wreckage examination, witness interviews, GPS, CCTV, ATC recordings, meteorological records), and full flight simulator reconstruction, including Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator validation exercises conducted during the AI-171 probe. Operational depth is reinforced through MoUs with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, National Aerospace Laboratories, National Metallurgical Laboratory, Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, and the DGCA, alongside international technical coordination with ICAO, NTSB, AAIB UK, Boeing, GE Aerospace, and Honeywell under Annex 13 multi-state participation frameworks.

AAIB does not operate a commercial business model. It is funded through Government of India budget allocations under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, charges no fees for investigation services, and has no external investors, shareholders, or parent company in a commercial sense. Its Director General, Group Captain Shri G.V.G. Yugandhar, oversees a headquarters located at Udaan Bhawan, Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi, and the bureau is statutorily barred from apportioning blame or liability — its outputs are exclusively preventative in nature and are disseminated via official website publications, RTI Act responses, and filings with the Supreme Court in high-profile cases.

Name

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau

Legal name

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau

Website

https://aaib.gov.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is India's government bureau, established in 2012 under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, that investigates civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents in Indian airspace under ICAO Annex 13, issuing safety recommendations to DGCA and regulatory authorities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Accident Investigation Services

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922)

akta.pro primary industry

NDT/Inspection & Testing Services (Aviation) (IMABALAJ)

Keywords

• Aircraft accident investigation
• Aviation safety regulation
• Flight recorder analysis
• Safety recommendations
• Accident investigation reports

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is a government bureau under India's Ministry of Civil Aviation that classifies and investigates aircraft accidents and serious incidents in Indian airspace under ICAO Annex 13 standards and the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017. Its work involves flight recorder analysis, evidence collection, simulation-based reconstruction, witness interviews, and the issuance of safety recommendations forwarded to DGCA. The bureau also publishes investigation reports and conducts safety studies to prevent future occurrences.

Product overview

AAIB is a single unified service offering — an attached office of India's Ministry of Civil Aviation responsible for aviation accident investigation. The core offering comprises aircraft accident investigation services (conducted under ICAO Annex 13 and India's Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017), safety studies, and safety recommendations. Investigation reports are published publicly upon completion. Supporting services include RTI (Right to Information) access. The organization maintains a comprehensive accident/incident database, investigates occurrences classified as Accidents or Serious Incidents for aircraft over 2250 kg or turbojet aircraft, and facilitates court-appointed investigations under Rule 12.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aircraft Accident Investigation Services Investigation of all accidents and serious incidents involving aircraft with AUW more than 2250 kg or turbojet aircraft in Indian airspace, conducted under ICAO Annex 13 standards and India's Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017.
• Safety Studies Systematic studies conducted from accident and incident data to formulate safety recommendations, including recommendations for induction of new technology to enhance aviation safety.
• Safety Recommendations Recommendations forwarded to DGCA and other regulatory authorities for implementation and compliance follow-up, derived from completed accident investigations and safety studies.
• Investigation Reports (Public Access) Final and preliminary investigation reports published on the AAIB website upon completion and acceptance by the Director General, covering all investigated accidents and serious incidents.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Hindustan Aeronautics LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU partner for utilization of labs and facilities for investigation purposes. Provides specialized aerospace engineering expertise and testing capabilities.
• National Aerospace LaboratoriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU partner providing access to aerospace research facilities and specialized testing capabilities for aircraft accident investigation.
• National Metallurgical LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU partner for metallurgical analysis and testing of aircraft components and wreckage materials during investigations.
• Defence Metallurgical Research LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU partner providing advanced metallurgical research and analysis capabilities for aircraft material examination.
• Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU partner and regulatory counterpart. DGCA conducts initial investigations and shares safety data with AAIB. AAIB forwards safety recommendations to DGCA for implementation.
• US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational technical assistance in Air India AI-171 crash investigation. Participates under ICAO Annex 13 as State of Manufacturer support for Boeing aircraft.
• UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational technical assistance in Air India AI-171 crash investigation, participating under ICAO Annex 13 protocols.
• BoeingcoreTechnology or IntegrationOriginal equipment manufacturer providing technical expertise in Air India AI-171 crash investigation. Conducted OEM-level testing of fuel control switch locking mechanism at Seattle facility.
• GE AerospacecoreTechnology or IntegrationEngine manufacturer providing analysis reports for aircraft engines in Air India AI-171 crash investigation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau