After the Ahmedabad plane crash, among the world’s worst in aviation history, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) launched a probe and released its preliminary findings on July 12. The report revealed shocking details, right from the transitioning of fuel switches from Run to Cutoff, a Mayday call two minutes after take-off and how the aircraft started losing altitude within the airport perimeter. It also confirmed deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), an emergency power source used during engine failure.
As the investigating agency has deepened its probe and has started working towards its final report, AAIB Director General GVG Yugandhar has appointed Sanjay Kumar Singh as the Investigator-in-Charge and Jasbir Singh Larhga as the Chief Investigator. He has appointed Vipin Venu Varakoth, Veeraragavan K, and Vaishnav Vijayakumar as investigators into the tragic AI 171 crash.
While Larhga is the agency’s Deputy Director, Varakoth, Veeraragavan K, and Vijayakumar are all Safety Investigation Officers. The team also has subject matter experts, including pilots, engineers, aviation medicine and psychology specialists, and flight recorder analysts.
Who is Sanjay Kumar Singh?
Sanjay Kumar Singh is the Director of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) – an agency under the aegis of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, responsible for investigating aircraft accidents and serious incidents within Indian airspace or involving Indian aircraft.
Singh, according to his LinkedIn profile, has three decades of experience spanning military and civil aviation. He began his career in 1991 as an Assistant Engineer at Jyoti Ltd. in Vadodara. He then took up a job at Tata Chemicals, and after a brief stint there, he underwent specialist training at the Air Force Technical College (AFTC) in Bengaluru to transition into the Indian Air Force’s aeronautical engineering stream.
He served in multiple operational and leadership roles within the IAF, eventually rising to the rank of Group Captain. In 2019, he was appointed Commanding Officer of a Repair and Salvage Unit, followed by Zonal Maintenance and Safety Officer. He assumed charge as Director of AAIB in November 2023.
Sanjay Kumar Singh: Training status and experience
He has undergone extensive training, including the Aerospace Safety and Accident Investigation Course, Human Factors Capsule Course, and the Flight Maintenance and Admin Safety Officers’ Course at the Institute of Aerospace Safety, Indian Air Force.
He also completed the ICAO-approved Aircraft Accident Investigation Management Course at the Singapore Aviation Academy and received certification in Advanced Safety Management Systems from Boeing.
He has led eight Category-I accident investigations and handled over 100 other cases during his five-year tenure at the Directorate of Aerospace Safety, Air HQ. He also served in various technical roles across squadrons, repair units, and flight lines, where he gained deep operational and maintenance experience. His secondary roles included serving as a Senior Project Engineer and Chief Examiner on a ground crew evaluation board.
Sanjay Kumar Singh at AAIB
At AAIB, he advises the director general of the agency on matters related to aircraft accident and incident investigations. He has overseen preliminary analysis of over 300 reported occurrences and led investigations into 15 major accidents or serious incidents. Over the past year, he has reviewed seven final investigation reports.
The 56-year-old has been instrumental in modernising AAIB’s field investigation tools, upgrading the agency’s “Go Kit,” and spearheading the development of a state-of-the-art Flight Recorder Laboratory.
He has also overseen the redrafting of the agency’s Procedure Manual, initiated MoUs with national laboratories.
Sanjay Kumar Singh: Education
He holds an MBA from Delhi University’s Faculty of Management Studies and a BE (Mechanical Engineering) with a specialisation in Aeronautical Engineering from AFTC.
He has also published a research paper in the IAF Aerospace Safety Magazine after carrying out error and violation management. He has also conducted an IAF-level study on accident or incident analysis.
Sanjay Kumar Singh: Skills and achievements
According to his resume, he holds expertise in aerospace safety, quality audits, and aircraft accident investigation, with strong skills in project management, negotiation, and human resource leadership.
He has led key international engagements, including representing the IAF at the USAF Safety Centre and heading the AAIB India delegation at the APAC AIG-12 meeting. His commitment to aviation safety has earned him two Chief of the Air Staff Commendations and the Best Project Award during an accident investigation course for his paper on quality audits as a safety health indicator.
Singh has conducted critical technical investigations, including a study on engine oil fluctuation in R-13 aeroengines with Aerostar Romania and a strip examination of the CFM-5B engine at GE Aerospace Cardiff. He has also collaborated with the NTSB on flight data recorder and FADEC analysis for a BELL helicopter case.