Nearly three weeks after Air India flight AI171 crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 275 people, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is likely to release the first official report on the tragedy. The aviation authority is expected to publish its preliminary findings later this week or early next week, offering an initial look into what caused one of the country’s deadliest air disasters in recent memory, CNBC reported citing unnamed sources. The document will be four to five pages long and focus on establishing a timeline of the crash. It will also detail critical information such as cockpit conversations, pilot actions, system performance, weather data and air traffic control communications, the report added. While the report is not expected to assign definitive blame, it will mark the first time that investigators publicly share insight into what happened inside the cockpit and on the ground in the final minutes of the flight. So far, the Civil Aviation Ministry has issued two updates- on June 19 and June 26- confirming the recovery of both black boxes. The memory module from one of the devices was successfully accessed and data was downloaded on June 25. Air India, meanwhile, defended the aircraft’s condition, stating that the plane, registered as VT-ANB, had a clean maintenance history. A major maintenance check was completed in 2022 and the next was not due until December 2025. The engines had also undergone inspections earlier this year and the pilot in command, Captain Sabharwal, had over 10,000 hours of flying experience, the carrier said. Air India has since scaled back both domestic and international operations, citing the need to stabilise its network and minimise disruption for passengers. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also ordered additional safety checks for all Dreamliner aircraft operating in the country.