Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in its preliminary report, has said that an abrupt and unexplained fuel cutoff to both engines just seconds after takeoff led to the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on June 12.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, en route to London, went down 32 seconds after becoming airborne, killing at least 260 people. Only one passenger survived.
The report, released on July 11, states that the engine fuel control switches for both engines transitioned from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” at 1:38:42 pm, exactly three seconds after the aircraft lifted off.
However, the report does not state whether the switch movement was deliberate, accidental, or a mechanical failure.
According to the report, the switches moved one after another with a one-second gap, cutting off fuel supply and causing a complete loss of thrust. The switches were returned to the RUN position at 1:38:52 and 1:38:54 pm, but by then, the aircraft had already begun losing altitude.
As per the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), one pilot asked, “Why did you cutoff?” to which the other responded, “I didn’t do so.” The AAIB has not disclosed the full transcript or identified which pilot said what.
At the time of the incident, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a senior pilot with over 8,200 flying hours, was monitoring the flight. First Officer Clive Kundar, who was flying the aircraft, had logged 1,100 hours. At 1:39:12 pm., just 30 seconds after takeoff, one of the pilots issued a “MAYDAY” distress call. However, when Air Traffic Control asked for the flight's call sign, there was no response. Seconds later, the aircraft crashed just outside the airport perimeter, striking a building on the campus of BJ Medical College.
The aircraft’s black box stopped recording at 1:39:11 p.m., 17 seconds after the fuel supply resumed. One of the engines showed signs of recovery after the switches were moved back to RUN, but the other engine’s deceleration continued unchecked.
CCTV footage confirmed that the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a small emergency power-generating device, was automatically deployed during the initial climb, consistent with a total engine failure. The report also noted that the flap handle assembly was fixed in the standard 5-degree position used for takeoff and the landing gear lever remained in the “DOWN” position, indicating it hadn’t been retracted yet.
The takeoff weight was within permissible limits. Fuel samples taken from the aircraft tanks and refueling tankers were tested at the DGCA laboratory and found to be satisfactory. No hazardous cargo was on board, and there was no significant bird activity in the vicinity.
The aircraft’s throttle control module, part of the cockpit panel containing the fuel switches, was last replaced in 2023. The AAIB found no reported faults with the fuel control system since that time. However, the report flagged a 2018 advisory from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which warned of the potential disengagement of the locking feature on fuel switches. Air India did not conduct the recommended inspections, stating the FAA’s bulletin was only advisory and not mandatory.
While the AAIB has not assigned blame, aviation experts have raised serious questions. “Until the investigation explains how a supposedly locked fuel switch could have moved to CUTOFF, the full truth remains elusive,” Amit Singh, founder of aviation safety NGO Safety Matters, was reported to have said, according to The Hindu.
Veteran safety analyst Mohan Ranganathan told TNM that the cockpit audio makes it clear who cut the fuel supply. “For all takeoffs and landings, the captain and co-pilot wear headsets connected to separate microphones. The CVR records each channel distinctly. There’s no need to say ‘one pilot said this, one pilot said that.’ It’s clear. The captain did it. By keeping it vague, the report is shielding the pilot and masking facts,” he said.
Ranganathan added that the switches cannot be cut off by any electrical or mechanical fault. It has to be physically selected.
Air India said it has received the AAIB report and is cooperating fully with investigators and regulators. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has also stated it is supporting the ongoing investigation.
The AAIB stressed that the probe is still in progress and that investigators are reviewing more data, including technical records and evidence from multiple stakeholders. As per international norms, a preliminary report must be submitted within 30 days of an accident and is meant to provide early findings without assigning cause or liability.