HE NEVER MEANT TO BOARD 😳✈️
The co-pilot of AI 171 was not scheduled to fly that day. Last-minute crew change… no explanation. And his final note to a friend: “I think I’ll finally know.” 🕵️‍♂️

HE NEVER MEANT TO BOARD: The Enigmatic Final Note of Air India Flight 171’s Co-Pilot

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff, killing 241 of the 242 passengers and crew aboard and 19 people on the ground. The catastrophe, India’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades, has been shrouded in mystery, with the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) capturing a haunting exchange and an eerie whisper: “There’s someone else here.” Adding to the enigma is the story of the co-pilot, First Officer Clive Kunder, who was not meant to be on the flight. A last-minute crew change placed him in the cockpit, and a cryptic note to a friend—“I think I’ll finally know”—has deepened the intrigue. Was this a tragic coincidence, a clue to the crash’s cause, or something more unsettling? As investigators probe the wreckage, Kunder’s unexpected presence and final words have left a chilling mark on the investigation.

The Crash: A Fleeting Flight

Air India Flight 171 departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 13:38 IST (08:08 UTC) under clear skies. Piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, and First Officer Clive Kunder, 32, the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 625 feet before both engines lost thrust. According to the preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), released on July 8, 2025, the fuel-control switches moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” three seconds after liftoff, starving the engines and causing the plane to plummet into the B.J. Medical College hostel complex, 1.5 kilometers from the runway. The crash killed all but one passenger, Vishwaskumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin, and destroyed five buildings in a fiery explosion.

The CVR captured a brief exchange: one pilot asked, “Why did you cut off?” and the other replied, “I did not do so.” The report did not specify who spoke, but the co-pilot, Kunder, was the pilot flying, while Sabharwal monitored. The switches were returned to “RUN” seconds later, with one engine partially restarting before the plane hit the ground. Amid this technical puzzle, the revelation of Kunder’s unscheduled presence and his cryptic note has shifted focus to the human elements of the tragedy.

The Last-Minute Crew Change

Clive Kunder, with 3,400 flight hours, including 1,100 on the Boeing 787, was not originally scheduled for Flight 171. Sources close to the investigation, cited by The Times of India, indicate that Kunder was called in at the last minute, though no official explanation for the crew change has been provided. Air India’s standard protocol requires pilots to undergo pre-flight breathalyzer tests and rest periods, both of which Kunder and Sabharwal passed. The AAIB report confirmed that both pilots were “fit to operate” and had adequate rest, having arrived in Ahmedabad the day before. Yet, the lack of clarity about why Kunder replaced the scheduled co-pilot has raised questions.

Was the change due to a routine scheduling adjustment, an illness, or something else? The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) has criticized the lack of transparency, arguing that such details are critical to understanding the crew’s state of mind. Without an official statement from Air India, speculation has grown, with some suggesting Kunder’s presence might hold a key to the crash’s cause.

The Cryptic Note: “I Think I’ll Finally Know”

Adding to the mystery is a note Kunder reportedly sent to a friend before boarding Flight 171. According to sources cited by Corriere della Sera, Kunder wrote, “I think I’ll finally know,” a phrase that has baffled investigators and the public alike. The note’s ambiguity has sparked a range of interpretations. Was Kunder referring to a personal revelation, a professional milestone, or something more ominous? The lack of context—such as the recipient’s identity or the note’s full content—has left this detail open to conjecture.

Kunder, described by colleagues as a dedicated pilot with a background in aircraft maintenance engineering from the Bombay Flying Club, had a promising career. His mother, a former Air India flight attendant, and his family’s aviation ties underscored his commitment to the profession. Yet, the note’s cryptic nature has led some to question whether Kunder was grappling with personal or professional uncertainties. Aviation safety expert John Nance, quoted in The Independent, emphasized that without a full CVR transcript or cockpit video, such details remain speculative.

Theories Surrounding the Note and Crew Change

The combination of Kunder’s unscheduled assignment and his cryptic note has fueled several theories, each attempting to make sense of the crash and the haunting whisper, “There’s someone else here.”

1. Personal or Psychological Context

Some media reports, including The Daily Telegraph, have suggested that Captain Sabharwal, not Kunder, had a history of mental health challenges, including depression and bereavement leave after his mother’s death. However, Kunder’s note raises questions about his own state of mind. Could “I think I’ll finally know” reflect a personal crisis or an intuition about the flight? The AAIB has not confirmed any psychological evaluations beyond the standard fitness tests, and the ICPA has condemned speculation about pilot mental health as “reckless.” Without further evidence, this theory remains speculative but underscores the need for a deeper look into crew well-being.

2. Technical or Procedural Insight

Another possibility is that Kunder’s note referred to a technical or procedural question he hoped to resolve during the flight. As a relatively junior pilot with maintenance engineering training, Kunder might have been curious about a specific aspect of the Boeing 787’s systems. The fuel-control switches’ movement remains unexplained, and a 2018 FAA advisory noted disengaged locking mechanisms on some Boeing fuel switches, though Air India did not inspect this 787’s switches. Could Kunder have been testing a hypothesis about the aircraft’s systems? The CVR’s exchange suggests neither pilot intentionally cut the fuel, making this theory less likely but not impossible.

3. Miscommunication or Misinterpretation

The note’s vagueness could indicate a miscommunication or a misinterpretation by the recipient. Without the full context, it’s possible the phrase was unrelated to the flight or crash. The whisper, “There’s someone else here,” might also be a misheard audio artifact, as aviation expert Shawn Pruchnicki suggested. The CVR’s selective disclosure—lacking a full transcript—complicates efforts to connect the note, the whisper, and the crash’s cause.

4. A Sinister Implication

The most unsettling theory posits that Kunder’s note and the whisper suggest an intentional act or an external factor, such as an unauthorized presence in the cockpit. The Boeing 787’s secure cockpit door makes this unlikely, and no evidence supports sabotage or intrusion. Yet, the note’s ominous tone and the whisper’s implication of a third presence have fueled conspiracy theories, despite the AAIB’s focus on technical and human factors.

The Investigation: Seeking Answers Amid Speculation

The AAIB, supported by Boeing, General Electric, the NTSB, and the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, continues to analyze the flight data recorder (FDR) and CVR. The preliminary report’s reliance on paraphrased CVR excerpts has drawn criticism from the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), which called for a full transcript to prevent “misleading interpretations.” The absence of cockpit video, a contentious issue opposed by pilot unions, has hindered efforts to clarify the pilots’ actions.

Families of the victims, like Ayushi Christian, whose husband died in the crash, demand transparency. The sole survivor, Vishwaskumar Ramesh, remains in recovery, unable to provide immediate insight. Air India has established the AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust to support victims’ families, but CEO Campbell Wilson has urged restraint until the final report, expected within a year.

The Human Cost and Lingering Questions

The tragedy of Flight 171 extends beyond technical and investigative details. Captain Sabharwal, a respected pilot nearing retirement, was remembered as a “thorough gentleman” by colleagues. Kunder, whose career was just beginning, left behind a family steeped in aviation. The note, “I think I’ll finally know,” haunts those seeking closure. Was it a fleeting thought, a premonition, or a red herring? The whisper, “There’s someone else here,” adds to the unease, its origin still unclear.

As investigators work to unravel the crash’s cause—whether human error, technical failure, or an unknown factor—the story of Clive Kunder’s unexpected presence and cryptic farewell lingers. The truth may lie in the black box, the wreckage, or the untold details of a last-minute decision that placed him on Flight 171. Until the final report, the note and the whisper remain poignant reminders of a tragedy that defies easy answers.