The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its preliminary 15-page report regarding the Air India flight AI 171 crash that occurred on June 12, killing 260 people. The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, flying from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff. The report provides an initial account of the disaster and raises questions about the cause of the dual-engine failure.

According to the report, the plane lifted off at 13:08:39 IST. Seconds after takeoff, the fuel control switches for both engines moved from the "RUN" to the "CUTOFF" position within one second of each other. This action immediately cut off fuel to the engines, leading to a loss of altitude. The report indicates that one pilot is heard on the cockpit voice recording asking the other, "Why did you cut off?" to which the other pilot responded, "I did not do so".

The pilots attempted to regain control of the aircraft. The fuel switches were switched back to the "RUN" position, and the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) was deployed. Additionally, the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) auto-started. Engine 1 began to relight, but Engine 2 failed to regain thrust. A "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY" call was transmitted moments before impact. The aircraft crashed into a medical college hostel and surrounding structures less than a nautical mile from the runway. The crash ignited a fire, destroying parts of five buildings.

The report indicates that the aircraft's weight was within permissible limits, and fuel samples were satisfactory. There were no weather-related issues, and no dangerous goods were on board. Both pilots had adequate rest before the flight. Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot-in-command, had nearly 8,600 hours of experience on the Boeing 787, while co-pilot Clive Kunder had over 1,100 hours.

The AAIB has not recommended any immediate action against the aircraft or engine manufacturers at this stage. The investigation team will review additional evidence from stakeholders. The wreckage was documented using drones and moved to a secure area near the airport. Both engines were recovered and placed in quarantine inside a hangar.

The report also mentioned a prior Safety Advisory Information Bulletin (SAIB) prompted by reports from Boeing 737 operators about fuel-control switches found with disengaged locking mechanisms. Air India stated that they did not conduct an inspection in response to this SAIB because compliance was not mandatory. The throttle control module on the aircraft had been replaced in 2019 and 2023, but these replacements were unrelated to the fuel-control issue.