Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was en route from Ahmedabad, India, to London Gatwick when it crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, 2025, resulting in significant loss of life. The pilots, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder, brought substantial experience to the cockpit, with details on their roles and backgrounds outlined below.
Captain of the flight: Captain Sumeet Sabharwal
Co-Pilot / First officer: Clive Kunder
Responsibilities of each pilot on Flight 171 on June 12, 2025: First Officer Clive Kunder was flying Air India Flight 171 during its takeoff on June 12, 2025 and Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was monitoring the flight.
In commercial aviation, both the captain and the first officer (co-pilot) are qualified to fly the aircraft. Here’s how it works:
Captain: The pilot-in-command who has ultimate authority and responsibility for the flight. The captain is the senior pilot and makes all final decisions.
First Officer: This is actually the same person as the co-pilot, “first officer” is the official title, while “co-pilot” is the more casual term. The first officer is a fully qualified pilot who assists the captain.
Who Actually Flies:
On any given flight, either the captain or first officer can be the “pilot flying” (PF) while the other serves as the “pilot monitoring” (PM).
They typically alternate roles between flights. If the captain flies one leg, the first officer might fly the return leg. Both are equally capable of flying the aircraft; the choice of who flies is often based on factors like weather conditions, airport complexity, or simply taking turns.
Authority Structure:
- The captain always retains final authority regardless of who is flying
- If the first officer is flying, the captain still makes command decisions and can take control at any time
- Both pilots work as a team with clearly defined roles and responsibilities
So while both can fly the plane, the captain is always the one in charge of the overall operation and safety of the flight.
Pilots details
The pilots of Flight 171 were Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder, both based in Mumbai. Below is a detailed breakdown of their profiles, roles, and additional context:
| Details | Pilot 01 | Pilot 02 |
|---|---|---|
| Names | Sumeet Sabharwal | Clive Kunder |
| Age & Gender | 56, Male | 32, Male |
| Title | Captain | First Office / Co-Pilot |
| License | ATPL License holder | CPL License holder |
| Total Flying Experience (hrs) | 15638:22 | 3403:12 |
| Boeing 787 Flying Experience (hrs) | 8596:43 | 1128:14 |
| Role on July 12, 2025 | Pilot Monitoring | Pilot Flying |
| Date of Class I Medical Exam | 05 Sept 2024 | 04 Feb 2025 |
| Breathalyzer Test | Pass (11:55 AM IST, July 12 2025) | Pass (11:55 AM IST, July 12 2025) |
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