The Air India plane crash report, released on July 12, 2025, by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), has sent shockwaves through the aviation community, revealing that the fuel control switches on Air India Flight 171 were inexplicably moved to the “cut-off” position just seconds after takeoff, starving the engines and leading to a catastrophic crash in Ahmedabad, India. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, plummeted into a residential area on June 12, 2025, killing 241 of the 242 passengers and crew on board and 29 people on the ground. This tragedy, the deadliest aviation disaster in India in nearly three decades, has raised critical questions about pilot actions, cockpit procedures, and the safety protocols of one of India’s flagship carriers. The preliminary findings, detailed in a 15-page report, point to a perplexing exchange between the pilots, deepening the mystery surrounding the crash and intensifying scrutiny on Air India’s operations.
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The Crash: A Devastating Loss
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at 8:08 a.m. UTC. The flight, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, appeared to lift off normally, reaching an airspeed of 180 knots. However, just three seconds later, the Air India plane crash report reveals that both engine fuel control switches were moved from the “RUN” to the “CUTOFF” position within a one-second interval, cutting off the fuel supply and causing both engines to lose thrust. The plane rapidly lost altitude, crashing into a medical college hostel in the densely populated Meghani Nagar area, where it burst into flames, destroying five buildings and leaving debris scattered over 1,000 feet.
The sole survivor, British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, seated in row 11A next to an emergency exit, miraculously escaped through a fuselage opening. Ramesh, speaking from his hospital bed, recounted to DD News, “I don’t know how I survived. I saw people dying in front of my eyes—the air hostesses and two people.” The crash claimed the lives of 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian, and 19 people on the ground, including medical students dining in the hostel. The scale of the disaster, the worst since India’s 1996 aviation tragedy, has left families grieving and the public demanding answers.
The Preliminary Report: Fuel Switches and Cockpit Confusion
The Air India plane crash report highlights a critical moment captured in the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). One pilot is heard asking, “Why did you cut off?” to which the other responds, “I didn’t do so.” This exchange, detailed in the AAIB’s preliminary findings, suggests confusion between the captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, and the first officer, Clive Kunder. Sabharwal, 56, had over 15,600 hours of flying experience, including 9,000 on the 787, and was an Air India instructor. Kunder, 32, had 3,400 hours of experience. Both pilots had passed breathalyzer tests and were deemed fit to fly after adequate rest, ruling out fatigue or impairment as factors.
The fuel control switches, located between the pilots’ seats behind the throttle levers, are designed with safeguards to prevent accidental movement. According to CNN safety analyst David Soucie, each switch requires a two-stage process—lifting and moving—to transition to the cutoff position, making accidental activation “extremely rare.” The report notes that the switches were flipped one second apart, a timing that U.S. aviation expert John Nance suggests aligns with deliberate action. However, the pilots’ conversation indicates neither claimed responsibility, raising questions about whether the action was intentional, inadvertent, or caused by an unknown issue.
Ten seconds after the cutoff, the switches were moved back to the “RUN” position, initiating an automatic relight sequence. Engine 1 began to recover, but Engine 2, while relit, failed to regain sufficient thrust. The plane, unable to sustain its climb, deployed its Ram Air Turbine (RAT), an emergency power source, as confirmed by airport CCTV footage. A “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY” call was transmitted 23 seconds after the switches were flipped, but the plane crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff, striking trees, an incineration chimney, and finally the medical college building.
Investigating the Cause: Human Error or Something Else?
The Air India plane crash report does not assign blame, as preliminary reports focus on establishing facts rather than conclusions. However, the focus on the fuel switches has shifted attention to the pilots’ actions. U.S. aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse told Reuters, “Did they move on their own, or did they move because of the pilots? And if they were moved because of a pilot, why?” The report rules out mechanical failure, fuel contamination, or bird strikes, as no significant bird activity was observed, and fuel samples were satisfactory. The aircraft’s airworthiness was confirmed, with only minor maintenance issues unrelated to the fuel system.
A 2018 FAA advisory noted potential disengagement of fuel control switch locking features on some Boeing 737s, but this was not deemed an unsafe condition, and Air India did not conduct the optional inspections. Former AAIB investigator Capt. Kishore Chinta raised the possibility of an electronic trigger from the plane’s control unit, though no evidence supports this theory yet. Peter Goelz, former NTSB managing director, emphasized the need for a full cockpit transcript and video recorders to clarify who, if anyone, touched the switches, as the current report lacks context for the pilots’ remarks.
Air India Under Scrutiny
The crash has intensified scrutiny on Air India, privatized by the Tata Group in 2022 as part of a fleet and reputation overhaul. The airline has faced recent criticism for maintenance lapses, including overdue checks on escape slides and pilot duty violations. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency is also investigating Air India Express for falsifying compliance records on engine parts. India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted enhanced safety checks on Air India’s 787 fleet post-crash, finding no major issues, but the tragedy has raised broader concerns about aviation safety in India.
Boeing and GE Aerospace, the engine manufacturer, have expressed condolences and are cooperating with the investigation, which includes U.S. NTSB members due to the U.S.-made aircraft. The AAIB report states no immediate actions are recommended for Boeing 787-8 or GE GEnx-1B operators, suggesting the issue lies outside mechanical or design flaws. A final report, expected within a year, will provide deeper insights, but the preliminary findings have already sparked debate about pilot training, cockpit protocols, and the need for enhanced safety measures.
Public and Industry Reaction
The Air India plane crash report has fueled public outrage and speculation, particularly on platforms like X, where users have debated whether the switch movement was a “clear f’up” by a pilot or a more suspicious anomaly. One post noted, “The engine fuel cut off switches automatically transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF without pilot involvement as per their conversation,” though the report does not confirm this. Aviation experts like David Learmount have called the incident “disturbing,” noting that the switches are distinct from the undercarriage lever, which the pilots should have been operating during takeoff.
Families of the victims, grappling with immense grief, have expressed frustration with the lack of clarity. A cousin of a crew member told the BBC, “We are still wading through our feelings at this point, trying to make sense of our loss.” The crash’s impact on Ahmedabad’s community, particularly the medical college, has left a lasting scar, with memorials held for the victims, including a 14-year-old tea vendor and medical students.
What’s Next?
As the investigation continues, the focus remains on why the fuel switches were moved and whether human error, a procedural flaw, or an undetected technical issue is to blame. The Air India plane crash report underscores the complexity of aviation disasters, where multiple factors often converge. For now, Air India faces a critical test in restoring public trust, while the industry awaits answers to prevent future tragedies.
Frequently Asked Questions :
Q: What did the Air India plane crash report reveal about the cause of the crash?
A: The Air India plane crash report found that the fuel control switches for both engines were moved to the “CUTOFF” position three seconds after takeoff, starving the engines of fuel and causing the plane to lose thrust and crash. A cockpit voice recording captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” with the other denying responsibility.
Q: Who were the pilots involved in the Air India Flight 171 crash?
A: The captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, had over 15,600 hours of flying experience, and the first officer, Clive Kunder, 32, had 3,400 hours. Both were deemed fit to fly, with no signs of fatigue or impairment.
Q: Was the crash caused by a mechanical failure?
A: The preliminary Air India plane crash report found no evidence of mechanical failure, fuel contamination, or bird strikes. The aircraft was airworthy, and no immediate actions were recommended for Boeing or GE Aerospace.
Q: Who survived the Air India crash?
A: The sole survivor was Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national seated in row 11A next to an emergency exit, who escaped through a fuselage opening.
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