New Delhi, 14 - A preliminary report released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) shed light on the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171, on July 12, 2025, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that claimed 260 lives on June 12, 2025, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in a decade. The London-bound flight, departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, crashed less than a minute after takeoff, colliding with trees, an incineration chimney, and ultimately a medical college building in a densely populated area. The report highlights a critical sequence of events involving the aircraft’s engine fuel cutoff switches, raising perplexing questions about their movement and the ensuing confusion in the cockpit.
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The Boeing 787, piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, with 15,638 hours of flying experience, and co-pilot Clive Kunder, 32, with 3,403 hours, was properly configured for takeoff. However, just three seconds after lifting off, both engine fuel control switches transitioned from the "run" to the "cutoff" position within a one-second interval, starving the engines of fuel. This action caused an immediate loss of thrust, triggering the automatic deployment of the ram air turbine, a backup power source, as captured by airport CCTV footage. The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 650 feet before rapidly descending, issuing a desperate "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" call moments before impact. Cockpit voice recordings reveal one pilot asking the other, “Why did you cut off?” to which the other responded, “I didn’t do so,” indicating confusion and no clear intent behind the switch movement. The report does not specify which pilot made each remark.
The fuel cutoff switches, designed with locking mechanisms to prevent accidental movement, are typically used to shut off engines after landing or in emergencies like an engine fire. Experts note that moving these switches during a climb is highly unusual, as it immediately halts engine function. The report indicates no emergency, such as a fire, necessitated this action. Investigators found both switches in the "run" position at the crash site, suggesting the pilots attempted to restore fuel flow, with one engine showing signs of relighting and the other partially regaining thrust. However, the low altitude prevented recovery.
The aircraft’s black boxes, recovered and analyzed, confirmed compliance with all airworthiness directives and ruled out mechanical failures, fuel contamination, or bird strikes, despite Ahmedabad’s history of bird activity. A 2019 FAA bulletin noted some Boeing fuel switches had disengaged locking mechanisms, but Air India’s aircraft, equipped with the same design, had no reported issues or inspections, as the bulletin was advisory. The AAIB report absolves Boeing and engine manufacturer GE Aerospace of immediate responsibility, focusing scrutiny on the switch movement’s cause, which remains unresolved. A final report, expected within a year, will further explore whether human error, mechanical issues, or electronic malfunctions triggered this catastrophic sequence, leaving the aviation community and grieving families awaiting answers.