A preliminary report regarding the Air India Flight 171 crash that occurred on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad, India, suggests a potential cause rooted in pilot actions. The investigation, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) with assistance from British and US authorities, indicates that the fuel supply to both engines was cut off shortly after takeoff. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew.
The report indicates that the fuel control switches for both engines transitioned from the "RUN" to "CUTOFF" position within one second of each other. This action caused the engines to lose thrust, leading to a critical situation. Cockpit voice recordings captured a pilot questioning why the fuel supply was cut off, to which the other pilot responded that they did not do it. The report does not specify which pilot made which remark.
Following the fuel cutoff, an automatic relight was attempted for Engine 1 and was successful. However, Engine 2 failed to recover despite multiple attempts to reintroduce fuel. The aircraft's Ram Air Turbine (RAT), an emergency power source, deployed immediately after liftoff, indicating a complete loss of power to essential systems. The pilots transmitted a "MAYDAY" call before the crash.
The investigation has found no mechanical issues with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or its engines. This has shifted the focus to cockpit procedures and the engine fuel control switches. These switches are used to start, shut down, and reset engines during emergencies. Normally, they remain in the "RUN" position during flight. The switches are guarded to prevent accidental movement. Experts assert that the fuel switches cannot be bumped accidentally.
The positions of the flap and landing gear levers were consistent with standard takeoff procedures, while the thrust levers were found in the idle position post-crash, despite being set for takeoff thrust during the flight. This suggests an in-flight cutoff occurred.
It remains unclear whether the fuel cutoff was unintentional, a deliberate act, or part of a failed recovery attempt. One theory being considered is that the pilots may have been attempting to isolate a failing engine but inadvertently shut off fuel to both.
Air India is facing increasing scrutiny regarding its pilot training standards, safety protocols, and regulatory compliance. The EU Aviation Safety Agency plans to investigate Air India Express for allegedly not following directives to change engine parts and for falsifying records. India's aviation watchdog has also warned Air India for violating rules related to overdue checks on escape slides.
The AAIB has recovered and is analyzing data from the aircraft's black boxes. The investigation is ongoing, with the involvement of the US National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, and GE Aerospace.
