Air India Flight Crash: Preliminary Report Reveals Fuel Shutdown in Both Engines

KAKALI DAS

The preliminary investigation report into the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 has been released, and instead of bringing clarity, it has only deepened the mystery.

The 15-page report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) outlines some key facts but leaves many critical questions unanswered. Since this is only a preliminary report, the investigation is still ongoing.

Flight 171 crashed just 32 seconds after take-off. According to the report, both switches that control the fuel supply to the engines were suddenly turned off.

Air India Flight Crash: Preliminary Report Reveals Fuel Shutdown in Both Engines

This caused both engines to shut down mid-air. A conversation recorded from the cockpit reveals that one pilot asked the other, “Why did you shut off the fuel?” The other pilot replied, “I did not do it.”

This exchange shows clear confusion in the cockpit. Neither pilot claimed responsibility for shutting off the fuel, yet both engines stopped working almost at the same time. The report clearly states that there was no sign of a bird strike or any other outside factor that could have caused this.

The pilots in charge of the flight were both highly experienced. Captain Sunil Sabharwal had logged more than 15,000 hours of flying experience, while First Officer Clive Kunder had over 3,000 hours. The report confirms that both pilots had received sufficient rest and had passed all required checks before the flight. There were no health or fatigue-related concerns.

The aircraft had previously completed a flight from Delhi to the city where it later crashed. A technical issue related to the stabilizer position sensor was reported after that flight, but Air India engineers had inspected the aircraft and cleared it for the next journey. The investigators have so far not found any link between that sensor issue and the crash.

According to the AAIB, the co-pilot was flying the aircraft while the captain was monitoring. The aircraft reached a speed of 180 knots, its highest recorded speed during that flight. Immediately afterward, something strange happened: the fuel cut-off switches for both engines moved from the “run” position to the “cut-off” position, one after the other, within just one second.

As a result, both engines began to lose power. The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking why the fuel was cut off. The other insisted he hadn’t done it. Moments later, the pilots issued a distress call: “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.”

Air traffic control tried to communicate with the pilots but received no response. Seconds later, the plane crashed just outside the airport boundary. Emergency services were activated immediately.

Investigators collected and tested fuel samples to rule out the possibility of fuel contamination. The results showed that the fuel was clean and safe. Additionally, there were no signs of a major technical fault in the aircraft itself. Everything, including the backup systems, seemed to be working properly.

In fact, the aircraft’s emergency systems were confirmed to be functioning. The RAT (Ram Air Turbine), a small propeller used to generate emergency power, was deployed as expected. This means the aircraft had emergency power and the problem was not due to a failure in those systems.

The real mystery lies in how the fuel switches were moved to the “off” position. Aviation experts say these are not regular buttons that can be flipped easily. These switches are spring-loaded levers that require a deliberate action to move.

You have to pull them with force, move them to a new position, and then release them. They are designed in such a way that they cannot be accidentally pushed or knocked into a different position.

Besides, there are built-in protections on aircraft to prevent these switches from being moved accidentally. Experts say that under normal conditions, there is no way for both switches to move on their own, or for them to be triggered by a sudden jolt or bump.

Could the Pilots Have Switched Them Off? Based on the voice recordings, it seems clear that neither pilot intentionally turned off the fuel. Their conversation reflects confusion and surprise. If one had done it, the other would not have been surprised.

According to aviation safety protocols, if one engine fails, pilots can continue flying using the other engine. They usually reach an altitude of around 800 feet before they start troubleshooting the problem. In this case, both engines lost power before the aircraft could climb to a safe height.

Experts also point out that there is no flight procedure that requires shutting off fuel to both engines during take-off. Even during emergencies or when testing systems, shutting off fuel to both engines simultaneously is not part of any standard checklist. If one engine fails, the fuel to that engine might be switched off later, but never for both engines at the same time.

Once the fuel was cut off, the pilots did attempt to restart the engines. They tried turning the fuel supply back on, but it was too late. The aircraft did not have enough altitude or time for the engines to restart. Because of this, the crash could not be avoided.

The investigation confirms that the crew followed standard procedures, were well-rested, and were qualified to fly. So far, the cause of the crash has not been pinned on either pilot, aircraft malfunction, or bird activity.

An important part of the report refers to a warning issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States back in 2018. The FAA had raised a concern about a potential issue with the fuel switch locking mechanism in certain Boeing aircraft, including the 737 and 787 models.

This advisory mentioned that under certain conditions, the switches could move from “run” to “cut off” if the locking mechanism failed or wasn’t properly secured. However, this was an information-only bulletin, which means it was not mandatory. It did not require airlines to carry out inspections or make replacements.

Air India, like many airlines, did not act on this advisory since it wasn’t compulsory. The preliminary report has now highlighted this as a significant point, suggesting that the fuel switch mechanism could have failed without any pilot action.

The final cause of the crash has not yet been determined. The investigation is ongoing. The AAIB is still analysing data from the flight recorder and seeking more information from Boeing. Investigators are also reviewing the final minutes of cockpit activity, system responses, and emergency actions to understand what exactly happened.

Air India has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation and working closely with aviation authorities. Boeing, too, has said that it will provide support and assist in any way it can.

This crash has claimed many lives, not only those on board the aircraft but also people on the ground. One of the worst-hit areas was a medical hostel near the crash site, where young students lost their lives.

The families of the victims are demanding answers. Aviation experts around the world are closely watching this investigation. Everyone wants to know how such a modern aircraft, flown by experienced pilots, could fail so catastrophically within seconds of takeoff.

The preliminary report on the crash of Air India Flight 171 has revealed a shocking and unexplained shutdown of both engines, caused by fuel supply being cut off. With no clear explanation as to how or why the fuel levers were switched off, this investigation now hinges on finding whether a mechanical fault, possibly one warned about in 2018, was responsible.

Until more is known, the crash remains a tragic and painful mystery. For the families who lost their loved ones, for the aviation industry, and for the public, only a full and transparent investigation can bring closure, and help prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.

Mahabahu Climate Forum

13-07-2025

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