Air India Flight AI171 Crash: What We Know So Far
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed moments after takeoff, resulting in 241 fatalities and 67 serious injuries. The aircraft impacted the BJ Medical College hostel, located 0.9 nautical miles from the departure end of Runway 23. The flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were recovered and analyzed, providing crucial insights into the sequence of events.
Preliminary Findings Point to Fuel Cutoff Switches
The preliminary report, released on July 12, 2025, indicates that the immediate cause of the crash was a dual-engine failure. Both engine fuel cutoff switches were moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within a second of each other at 08:08:42 UTC, just 7 seconds after lift-off. This action starved the engines of fuel, leading to a loss of thrust. Attempts to relight the engines were made, but the altitude was insufficient for full thrust restoration, contributing to the crash. The aircraft crashed 32 seconds after becoming airborne.
Cockpit audio revealed a critical exchange, with one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” and the other responding, “I did not do so,” highlighting confusion and uncertainty about who initiated the switch movement. The identities of the pilots were not assigned in the audio.
Ruled-Out Causes
The preliminary report explicitly rules out several potential causes:
- Mechanical failure of the engines or airframe.
- Bird strike, as no evidence was found.
- Fuel contamination, with DGCA lab tests confirming the fuel was satisfactory.
These findings narrow the focus to the fuel cutoff switch movement, but the mechanism behind it remains unresolved.
Ongoing Investigation and Unanswered Questions
The investigation is ongoing, and while mechanical issues, bird strikes, and fuel contamination have been ruled out, there’s debate over whether a 2018 FAA advisory on fuel switch disengagement played a role. This advisory highlighted potential disengagement of fuel control switches due to solder-ball fatigue in the engine control unit (ECU), specifically recommending replacement of the MN4 microprocessor. This was not mandatory, and Air India did not carry out the recommended inspections, which has become a point of contention.
Several questions remain unanswered, fueling controversy:
- Switch Movement Mechanism: How did both fuel cutoff switches move to “CUTOFF” almost simultaneously? Was it a deliberate action, an accidental trigger, or a mechanical/electrical fault?
- Potential ECU Fault: The 2018 FAA advisory on solder-ball fatigue in the ECU raises questions about whether a known issue was overlooked.
- Pilot Error vs. Design Flaw: The cockpit audio suggests confusion. There is speculation about potential pilot error versus a design flaw, especially considering the unaddressed FAA warning.
- Additional Anomalies: The landing gear was not retracted, the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) failed to emit a distress signal, and there are discrepancies in the RAT deployment timeline. The lack of cockpit video and precise timestamps for cockpit conversations further complicates the analysis.
Crew and Aircraft Details
The flight crew consisted of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with 15,000 flying hours (8,600 on the B787, in a monitoring role), and First Officer Clive Kunder, with 3,400 hours (flying role). Both passed pre-flight breathalyzer tests and were visible on CCTV before departure, confirming their fitness for duty.
The aircraft, a 2011 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had all mandatory maintenance checks completed. The throttle control module was replaced in 2019 and 2023, with no reported defects on the fuel control switch since 2023.
Investigative Panel and Timeline
The investigative panel includes pilots, engineers, aviation medicine specialists, and flight-recording experts. The UK AAIB, with “Expert” status, is reviewing the preliminary report and communicating with AAIB India. The final report is due on June 12, 2026, allowing for further analysis, including potential simulator studies, additional witness interviews, and deeper technical evaluations.
Public and Expert Reactions
Families of the victims have expressed that the preliminary report brings little comfort, as it does not conclusively identify the cause. Social media posts reflect a mix of outrage and speculation, with some blaming Air India and Boeing for not addressing the FAA advisory, while others focus on pilot actions.
As of July 13, 2025, the Air India crash was likely caused by the fuel cutoff switches being moved to “CUTOFF” shortly after takeoff, leading to engine failure. However, the exact reason remains under investigation, with ongoing debates about pilot error versus aircraft design flaws, particularly given the unaddressed 2018 FAA advisory. The incident underscores the complexity of aviation safety and the need for thorough investigation.
About the Author
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