AMN / WEB DESK
A preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has revealed that fuel supply to both engines of the Air India flight AI 171 was cut off shortly after takeoff, leading to the fatal crash near Ahmedabad on June 12. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick, crashed just 30 seconds after takeoff, killing 260 people, including 19 on the ground. One passenger survived.
According to the 15-page report, both engine fuel control switches transitioned from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ within a second of each other, causing the engines to shut down. Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot questioning the other about the switch-off, who denied doing so. Although the fuel switches were turned back on, the aircraft could not recover due to loss of power.
The report confirms that both pilots were well-rested, and fuel samples tested from bowsers and tanks met safety standards. At this stage, no technical recommendations have been issued for Boeing 787-8 or GEnx-1B engine operators. The AAIB continues to gather additional evidence. Air India has stated it is cooperating fully with the investigation and working closely with regulators and stakeholders throughout the probe.
