A preliminary investigation into the recent Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives, has revealed a shocking development: both engine fuel control switches were abruptly moved from the "RUN" to the "CUTOFF" position just seconds after takeoff. This action, which starves the engines of fuel, led to an immediate loss of thrust and the aircraft's subsequent plummet into a residential area. The report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) details confusion in the cockpit and a failed attempt to restore engine power before the tragic impact, leaving investigators to determine how and why these critical switches were activated.
The Ahmedabad Tragedy: A 30-Second Descent
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The devastating accident resulted in the deaths of 241 people on board (including passengers and crew) and 19 more on the ground, making it one of India's worst aviation disasters in recent history. Only one passenger survived.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) swiftly launched an inquiry, and its preliminary report, released just a month after the incident, has brought to light a critical sequence of events in the aircraft's final moments.
Fuel Cutoff: The Heart of the Mystery
According to the AAIB's findings, the aircraft achieved its maximum recorded airspeed of 180 knots at approximately 01:38:42 PM UTC. "Immediately thereafter," the report states, "the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec." This effectively cut off the fuel supply to both engines, causing their RPM (N1 and N2 values) to rapidly decrease from their takeoff values.
Cockpit voice recordings captured the immediate confusion among the pilots. One pilot was heard asking, "Why did you cut off the fuel?" to which the other responded, "I did not do so." This exchange suggests an unexpected and potentially uncommented action regarding the fuel switches.
Desperate Measures and Failed Recovery
With both engines losing thrust, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner began to lose altitude rapidly. The report indicates that the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), an emergency power source, deployed immediately after lift-off, signaling a loss of electrical power to critical systems.
Although attempts were made to relight the engines – with the flight data showing Engine 1 briefly responding – Engine 2 failed to recover despite multiple attempts to reintroduce fuel. This failure made it impossible for the aircraft to maintain thrust or altitude. A "MAYDAY" distress call was transmitted just seconds before the data recording stopped and the aircraft impacted buildings in a residential area with a nose-up attitude.
The Unanswered Questions
The preliminary report is meticulously factual about the events but does not assign blame or offer conclusions regarding how the fuel control switches came to be in the "CUTOFF" position. Aviation safety experts have widely noted that these switches are designed to prevent accidental movement, requiring a deliberate action (often a lift-and-move mechanism) to change their position. They are typically only moved during engine start-up or shut-down on the ground, or in specific in-flight emergencies like an engine fire, neither of which was indicated as occurring at that precise moment.
The investigation will now delve deeper into several critical areas:
Human Factors: Exploring pilot actions, procedures, and any potential human error or incapacitation.
Mechanical Malfunction: Though no immediate mechanical or design issues with the Boeing 787 or its GE engines have been identified, the investigation will continue to examine the integrity of the fuel control switches and related systems.
External Interference (if any): While unlikely without further evidence, investigators will exhaust all possibilities.
Air India has publicly stated its full cooperation with the AAIB's ongoing probe. Boeing has also affirmed its support, deferring to the AAIB for information in adherence to international protocols. The black boxes – the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) – have been recovered and their data extracted, providing crucial insights into the flight's final moments. The full investigation is expected to take months, if not longer, as authorities strive to uncover the definitive cause of this devastating crash and implement measures to prevent future tragedies.