Western Media’s Premature Pilot Blame in Air India Crash Echoes Gul Panag’s Warning  

The tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 has taken a controversial turn as Western media outlets rush to blame the pilots precisely what actor and aviation enthusiast Gul Panag warned against just days earlier. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, killing 260 people, remains under investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Yet, preliminary reports citing dual engine failure at 180 knots have been overshadowed by speculative narratives targeting the crew.  

Panag, a licensed pilot herself, had expressed concern in an NDTV interview that the pilots would be scapegoated before facts emerged. Her prediction now appears tragically prescient, as international coverage leans heavily on human error theories while ignoring systemic factors. The AAIB’s 15-page report highlights critical mechanical failures but stops short of assigning blame, a nuance lost in much of the Western reporting. This rush to judgment mirrors past aviation tragedies where pilots bore undue blame before full investigations concluded.  

The crash, one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters, demands meticulous scrutiny of both technical and operational factors. Early data suggests catastrophic engine failure, raising questions about maintenance protocols and manufacturer accountability issues often downplayed when pilot error becomes the dominant narrative. Aviation experts caution that premature conclusions undermine trust in the investigative process and disrespect the victims, including the flight crew who perished while attempting to avert disaster.  

As the AAIB continues its probe, the discourse surrounding AI171 serves as a reminder of the biases that plague aviation reporting. Panag’s warning underscores the need for patience and objectivity in determining the crash’s cause. Until all evidence is examined, blaming the pilots not only dishonors their memory but risks obscuring the truth whether it points to mechanical failure, procedural lapses, or a combination of factors. For now, the priority should remain on uncovering facts, not fueling conjecture