Confused conversations among pilots and the unexplained shutdown of both engines marked the final moments of Air India Flight 171, which ended in a fatal crash on June 12, killing 260 people. A preliminary report released on Saturday by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) points to a potentially critical failure in the fuel system, while raising numerous unanswered questions still awaiting clarification.
Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London, lost thrust shortly after takeoff. According to the report, the ram air turbine deployed almost immediately after departure, indicating a loss of engine power. Surveillance footage from the airport confirms, among other things, that the aircraft reached an altitude of only 650 feet before rapidly descending and crashing into a nearby building of the local medical college, after clipping treetops and a crematorium chimney, as reported by Reuters.
An alarming exchange was recorded in the cockpit. The black box reveals one pilot asking the other, “Why did you shut off the fuel?” to which the second pilot replied, “I didn’t.” The identities of the speakers remain unclear, as does who made the emergency “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” call just before the impact. Both fuel control switches—critical to engine operation—were moved from the “run” to “cutoff” position almost simultaneously, the AAIB states. This action, during flight, immediately shuts down the engines and is typically only used after landing or in emergencies such as an engine fire—which was not reported in this case.
The flight was operated by experienced pilots: Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (56), with over 15,000 flight hours and an instructor at Air India, and First Officer Clive Kunder (32), with over 3,400 flight hours. At the crash site, both fuel switches were found in the “run” position, and the report suggests there may have been an attempt to restart the engines before impact. However, the preliminary data does not explain how the switches were placed in the incorrect position in the first place.
American aviation safety experts expressed concern. “If the switches were moved by human hand—why?” asked U.S. investigator Anthony Brickhouse in a comment to Reuters. John Nance, a former pilot and analyst, stated it was nearly impossible for the switches to be accidentally moved, adding that the one-second interval between activations corresponds to the time needed to manually flip one switch after the other.
Air India has broadly accepted the contents of the report in a statement but declined to provide further comment, citing ongoing cooperation with relevant authorities. India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, urged the public to remain patient and warned against premature conclusions before the final report is released.
The crash poses a major challenge for the Tata Group, which took over Air India from the government in 2022 with ambitious plans for restructuring and revamping the national carrier’s image. Additional pressure came from Europe last week when the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) announced an investigation into Air India Express, the airline’s low-cost subsidiary, for allegedly violating directives and falsifying maintenance records.
Meanwhile, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have expressed willingness to continue cooperating and emphasized the importance of facts. Boeing is continuing to provide technical assistance with the investigation. GE Aerospace, the engine manufacturer, has not yet commented on the findings.
The final accident report is expected within a year.
