Fuel switches were cut off on the Air India plane that crashed and killed 270 people last month shortly after the plane took off, a preliminary investigation report released Friday said. The Critical Seconds: Fuel Cutoff Switches Activated Before Deadly Air India Crash, Preliminary Report Reveals
The world’s deadliest aviation disaster in a decade took a startling turn with India’s preliminary crash report. According to investigators, both engine fuel cutoff switches on Air India Flight 171 were deliberately moved to the “cutoff” position seconds after takeoff, starving the engines and causing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to plummet. This revelation, paired with cockpit audio of pilots denying responsibility, deepens the mystery of the June 12 crash that killed 260 people.
The Final Moments: Confusion and Catastrophe
Flight AI171 lifted off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 08:08:42 UTC, bound for London Gatwick. Data from the flight recorder shows:
Three seconds after takeoff, at 180 knots airspeed, the fuel cutoff switches for Engine 1 and Engine 2 transitioned from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within one second of each other.
Engines immediately lost thrust, triggering the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), an emergency power source.
Cockpit recordings captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” The other responded, “I did not do so”.
Pilots reversed the switches 10 seconds later, but only Engine 1 showed signs of recovery. Engine 2 failed to regain thrust .
At 08:09:05, a “MAYDAY” call echoed from the cockpit before the plane crashed into a medical hostel, killing 241 onboard and 19 on the ground .
The sole survivor, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, escaped through a fuselage opening. His brother perished in the crash .
Key Questions: Human Error or System Failure?
The preliminary report explicitly avoids assigning blame but highlights critical puzzles:
Switch Design and Intentional Actuation:
The fuel cutoff switches are protected by a metal bar and require lifting and deliberate movement to activate, making accidental contact “extremely rare”.
U.S. aviation expert John Cox emphasized, “You can’t bump them and they move”.
The 1-second gap between switch movements suggests manual actuation.
Pilot Profiles and Mental State:
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, had 15,638 flight hours (9,000+ on 787s) and was an Air India instructor. First Officer Clive Kunder, 32, had 3,403 hours. Both were rested and cleared pre-flight medical checks.
No evidence of distress or argument appeared in the cockpit audio before the cutoff.
Ruled-Out Factors:
Bird Strikes: CCTV showed no significant bird activity near the flight path.
Fuel Quality: Initial samples were “satisfactory,” though limited wreckage samples await testing.
Mechanical Failures: Aircraft configuration, weight, and systems were normal. The AAIB issued no advisories to Boeing or engine-maker GE.
Technical Analysis: The Engine Restart Race
The report details a desperate but futile recovery attempt:
When switches returned to “RUN,” the 787’s automated system initiated an engine relight sequence.
Engine 1’s core deceleration reversed, showing recovery progress. Engine 2 briefly relit but could not sustain thrust .
Aviation expert Rusty Aimer noted that at low altitude (under 500 feet), restarting engines was nearly impossible: “There’s no chance in hell to gain speed, power, and altitude” 5.
Investigation Progress and Global Implications
Black Box Analysis: Both recorders were recovered, with 49 hours of flight data and 2 hours of cockpit audio analyzed .
International Involvement: The U.S. NTSB, FAA, Boeing, and GE are supporting India’s AAIB. No safety advisories have been issued for 787s or GE engines .
Air India’s Safety Record: The crash intensifies scrutiny of Air India’s maintenance practices. Recent audits revealed overdue safety checks and falsified compliance records at subsidiary Air India Express .
Voices from the Investigation
Former NTSB managing director Peter Goelz praised the AAIB’s “detailed and candid” preliminary report—uncommon in high-profile national carrier probes.
Anthony Brickhouse, U.S. aviation safety expert, posed the central question: “If the switches were moved because of a pilot, why?” .
Timeline to Answers
A final report is expected within 12 months. Investigators will now:
Analyze pilot medical/psychological histories
Conduct switch mechanical testing
Review training protocols and cockpit ergonomics .
The Ahmedabad disaster forces aviation to confront an unsettling scenario: a deliberate act with catastrophic consequences—whether human or systemic. As families mourn 260 lives, the world awaits answers that could redefine cockpit safety. As the AAIB continues its investigation, one truth remains: every aviation regulation is “written in blood” .
For ongoing updates, refer to official AAIB reports and trusted aviation sources.
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