The investigation into the Air India Flight 171 crash that occurred on June 12, 2025, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, is increasingly focused on a potential "mistake" made by the pilots. The crash resulted in the deaths of 260 people.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to release a preliminary report soon, possibly by July 12, 2025. The report is likely to include data recovered from the aircraft's black boxes, formally known as the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR). These recorders are crucial for reconstructing the events leading up to the crash. The investigation is a collaborative effort involving British, Indian, and US officials.

Early assessments from officials in the US did not find any mechanical issues with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or its GE Aerospace engines. This has led investigators to focus on the actions taken in the cockpit, particularly concerning the engine fuel control switches.

Preliminary findings suggest that the fuel flow to both engines was shut off. One theory proposes that the pilots may have been attempting to secure a failing engine but accidentally shut off fuel to both, resulting in an immediate loss of thrust. This could explain the aircraft's initial climb followed by a sudden descent, as seen in crash footage. The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment observed in the footage further supports this theory.

In normal flight operations, fuel control switches are kept on. They are primarily used for starting, shutting down, or resetting engines during emergencies. It remains unclear whether the fuel flow was cut off unintentionally or deliberately, and if the pilots attempted to restore it.

Aviation experts suggest that in the event of a single-engine failure shortly after takeoff, it is conceivable that the pilots may have mistakenly switched off the fuel supply to the working engine. Standard procedures dictate that pilots should shut off fuel flow to a malfunctioning engine to secure it. However, cutting off fuel to the only operational engine would be a critical error. Some Boeing 787 Dreamliner pilots find pilot error an unlikely scenario, pointing out that pilots are trained to perform tasks from memory, including toggling the fuel-control switches from the run to cut-off and back in an attempt to restart engines in the event of a dual-engine failure. Furthermore, they noted that cutting off fuel supply to a non-functional engine is typically done at an altitude above 400 feet.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rules, a preliminary report must be submitted within 30 days of the accident. The report will detail initial findings, though it's uncertain how much information will be made public. Air India is facing increased scrutiny regarding its pilot training, safety measures, and overall compliance.