Ahmedabad, June 12, 2025 — In the first catastrophic hull-loss involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Air India Flight AI 171, operating between Ahmedabad and London, ended in tragedy seconds after takeoff. The incident, now under rigorous scrutiny by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), is drawing attention to a chilling cockpit moment of confusion and uncontrolled fuel starvation.
✈️ The Fatal Seconds
- At 08:08:39 UTC (13:38:39 IST), the aircraft lifted off and reached about 180 knots by 08:08:42 UTC, around 150 ft altitude.
- In a span of one second, both fuel control switches for engines 1 and 2 moved from RUN to CUTOFF, abruptly severing fuel flow and causing immediate loss of engine thrust mint+13aeroinfo.eu+13Moneycontrol+13.
- The backup Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed automatically, supplying emergency hydraulic and electrical power as the plane began its descent Business Today+5aeroinfo.eu+5Live and Let’s Fly+5.
- The crew swiftly returned both switches to RUN approximately 10 seconds later, but only one engine began to relight; the other failed to sustain thrust aeroinfo.eu+3Business Today+3Investing.com India+3.
- Contact with ground was lost by 08:09:11 UTC, just 32 seconds after takeoff, and the aircraft crashed into a hostel building near BJ Medical College, killing 241 passengers and crew and 19 people on the ground. Only one person survived India Today+15aeroinfo.eu+15Moneycontrol+15.
🗣️ Cockpit Confusion and Human Factors
The cockpit voice recorder revealed a tense exchange:
“Why did you shut it off?”
“I didn’t shut it off.”
This confusion lies at the heart of the investigation, as neither pilot acknowledged moving the switches Moneycontrol+15aeroinfo.eu+15The Times of India+15.
The switches in question require a manual lifting of a lock mechanism before movement, making accidental activation extremely unlikely. Investigators are exploring whether human error, miscommunication, or a technical malfunction triggered the fatal action The Week.
🧪 Maintenance & Oversight
- The Boeing 787, registration VT‑ANB, had undergone regular maintenance, including C‑checks in June 2023.
- Though a 2018 FAA safety bulletin had warned of fuel-switch lock disengagement risks, it was advisory—not mandatory—and Air India had not enacted the recommended inspection protocols India Today+13mint+13ABP Live+13.
- Maintenance records show multiple throttle control module replacements in 2019 and 2023, but none directly related to the fuel cutoff system The Times of India+3aeroinfo.eu+3Wikipedia+3.
🧩 Technical & Regulatory Implications
- No mechanical defect has been confirmed with Boeing or GE GEnx engines; the report emphasizes that the event remains under investigation The Wall Street Journal+11Financial Times+11Investing.com India+11.
- The FAA advisory is now under renewed scrutiny, and the DGCA has mandated immediate fleet inspections across all B787 aircraft by July 21, 2025 The Wall Street Journal.
- A broader debate over installing cockpit video recorders has intensified, as experts and IATA leadership argue video would clarify human behavior in cockpit emergencies that audio alone cannot resolve The Times of India+2The Week+2Indiatimes+2.
🧭 What’s at Stake
Investigators are now evaluating:
- Whether cockpit ergonomics, switch placement, and human performance factors may have contributed.
- The pilots’ mental and operational readiness, given the captain’s proximity to retirement and unverified emotional stressors mentioned post-crash IndiatimesFirstpost+10The Sun+10Live and Let’s Fly+10.
- Potential procedural or cockpit design revisions to prevent inadvertent toggle of critical controls at low altitude.