Fuel Switches Cut Off Before Air India Crash – AAIB Preliminary Report
India’s AAIB reveals engine fuel switches were moved to “cutoff” seconds after takeoff on Air India Flight AI171 causing loss of thrust and the fatal crash that killed 260 The investigation continues .
A preliminary investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau AAIB has revealed that both engine fuel control switches on Air India Flight AI171 were moved to the “cutoff” position just seconds after takeoff—an action that immediately cut fuel supply to the engines and led to the fatal crash near Ahmedabad Airport on June 12 which claimed 260 lives .
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Key Sequence of Events
- Takeoff and sudden shutdown: According to flight data and cockpit voice recorders shortly after reaching takeoff speed around 180 knots the fuel switches for Engines 1 and 2 were moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” in rapid succession—approximately one second apart .
- Pilot confusion: The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other “Why did you cut off the fuel” to which the other replied “I did not do so” .
- Attempted engine relight: The switches were reset to “RUN” enabling one engine to briefly relight but momentum was lost The plane descended too quickly for recovery .
Catastrophic Outcome
Within approximately 30 seconds of takeoff both engines had lost power triggering an emergency “mayday” call The ram air turbine RAT deployed but the aircraft crashed into a residential area killing all but one of the 242 people on board and an additional 19 on the ground .
Aircraft and Crew
- Flight: AI 171 a Boeing 7878 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick .
- Crew: Captain Sumeet Sabharwal 56 15638 flight hours an Air India instructor and First Officer Clive Kunder 32 3403 flight hours .
- Passengers: 230 aboard 169 Indians 53 British 7 Portuguese 1 Canadian plus 12 crew members .
Safety Mechanisms and Unanswered Questions
The switches include locking safeguards to prevent accidental engagement Aviation experts such as John Cox have confirmed they cannot be moved by bumping .The preliminary report notes such movements are “highly uncharacteristic” and “suggest deliberate action” whether inadvertent or intentional .
Investigators have not yet determined whether human error mechanical failure or unforeseen system issues were responsible for the switch movements No fault has been found in Boeing or the GE engines thus far .
Broader Implications
- Fleet inspections: Air India with 33 Boeing 787s has initiated immediate inspections of fuel‑parameter systems across its 787 fleet .
- Regulatory context: The AAIB is working under ICAO rules to issue a final report within a year while no immediate safety directives have been issued to Boeing or GE .