Informist, Saturday, Jul. 12, 2025

NEW DELHI – Access to fuel for both the engines was cut off moments before the Air India flight crashed in Ahmedabad on Jun. 12, according to a preliminary report investigating the accident involving the Tata group-owned airline's Boeing B787-8 aircraft released late Friday. Cockpit voice recording reveals that one of the two pilots flying the plane asked the other why he cut off fuel access to the engine, to which the other pilot responded by saying "he did not do so," according to the report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.

Bound for London's Gatwick Airport, the crash of Air India AI171 claimed the lives of 260 people seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Data for the investigation has been retrieved from the two Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders, or black boxes, equipped on the flight.

Data shows that the aircraft achieved a maximum recorded speed of 180 knots indicated airspeed. Moments later, the fuel cutoff switches transitioned to 'cutoff' from 'run', prompting confusion in the cockpit. Camera footage obtained by investigators from the airport showed that the Ram Air Turbine was deployed immediately after the flight lifted off. Ram Air Turbine is used as a backup power source on aircraft, and only in emergencies when other power sources fail.

Investigators did not find any significant bird activity in the vicinity of the flight path, noting that the aircraft started losing altitude before it crossed the airport perimeter wall.

Seconds later, the engine fuel cutoff switches once again transitioned to 'run' from 'cutoff'. The first engine's core deceleration stopped, reversed, and progressed to recovery. However, while the second engine was able to relight, it could not arrest core speed deceleration and re-introduced fuel supply to increase recovery, the report showed. In a matter of seconds, one of the pilots transmitted a may day call to the operators, and crashed.

The flight was being flown by a 56-year-old pilot with over 15,000 hours of flying experience and a 32-year-old pilot with 3,400 hours of flying experience. This preliminary report does not recommend actions to Boeing's B787-8 aircraft and General Electric's GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers.

"Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses," the airline said in a statement. Boeing President and Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg, in a statement, said that he has spoken to Air India's Chairman N. Chandrasekaran to offer full support. End

Reported by Anand JC

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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