A preliminary report into the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, has revealed that the fuel supply to both engines was cut off moments after takeoff. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its 15-page report, a month after the crash that killed 260 people, including 19 on the ground. The report is the first official account of India's worst air disaster in decades.
The Air India flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad. Of the 242 people on board, only one survived. The preliminary report indicates that fuel control switches were moved to the "cutoff" position as the aircraft ascended. According to the report, the flight lasted approximately 30 seconds between takeoff and crash. Once the aircraft reached its top recorded speed, the engine fuel cutoff switches transitioned from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" position, one after the other, within a second. The movement of these switches controls the flow of fuel to the plane's engines.
The report also includes the final conversation between the pilots on the cockpit voice recording (CVR). One pilot is heard asking the other, "Why did you cut off?" to which the other responded, "I did not do so". This exchange suggests confusion in the cockpit regarding the fuel cutoff. The report did not specify how the switches ended up in the cutoff position. However, the switches were flipped back to the run position, but the plane could not regain enough power to stop its descent. One of the pilots transmitted a "MAYDAY" alert.
The shutdown of the engines triggered the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a backup power device, and the aircraft began losing altitude almost immediately, unable to sustain powered flight. CCTV footage showed the RAT deploying almost immediately after the plane lifted off, indicating a loss of power from the engines.
The AAIB has not yet assigned blame but has ruled out bird strikes or external damage. The report has raised urgent questions about whether a technical fault, human error, or a combination of factors was responsible for the crash. Aviation experts have noted gaps in the report and have called for a thorough probe into the fuel switch mechanism.
Air India issued a statement saying it is fully cooperating with authorities in the investigation. The airline added that it is working closely with regulators and other stakeholders and will continue to cooperate as the investigation progresses. Air India has also ordered deeper checks of its entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners to prevent future incidents. Boeing has also stated that it is ready to support the investigation led by the AAIB.
