NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy has cautioned against premature speculation and reporting regarding the Air India Flight 171 crash that occurred on June 12, 2025. The crash of the Air India Boeing Dreamliner resulted in the loss of 241 lives of the 242 passengers and crew, along with 19 casualties on the ground.
Homendy's statement comes in the wake of recent media reports that suggest the captain of the flight may have intentionally cut off fuel to the engines. These reports cite a preliminary investigation by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and cockpit voice recordings as evidence. According to these reports, the cockpit recording indicates that the captain shut off switches controlling fuel delivery to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's engines. The Wall Street Journal reported that black-box recordings and preliminary findings indicate the senior pilot, not the first officer, manipulated the fuel control switches.
However, Homendy has emphasized that investigations of this magnitude require time and thoroughness. She stressed the importance of fully understanding the situation before making public statements. An NTSB spokesperson confirmed that Homendy has been fully briefed on all aspects of the Air India investigation, including the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) information. Homendy has also expressed a desire to personally listen to the cockpit voice recording. Her primary goal, in collaboration with Indian authorities, is to swiftly ascertain whether the crash poses any immediate safety risks to the traveling public.
Conflicting information has emerged, with one source stating that there was no engine flameout, contrary to earlier suggestions based on CCTV video analysis. The Indian authorities' preliminary report indicated that fuel control switches were activated in succession, one second apart, suggesting deliberate action. Approximately ten seconds later, both switches were reactivated.
The NTSB is supporting the AAIB's ongoing probe due to Boeing's design of the Dreamliner and GE Aerospace's manufacturing of its engines. The FAA also certified the plane for passenger flight. Despite the ongoing investigation and emerging details, Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration have not issued any safety bulletins or directives to 787 operators.
The investigation is still in its early stages, and investigators are not ruling out design flaws or mechanical issues. Air India's CEO has cautioned staff against rushing to judgment, emphasizing that the investigation is far from over. The cockpit recordings are considered crucial to uncovering the sequence of events during the flight's final moments. Some U.S. officials are calling for a criminal investigation based on the initial data.
