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New Delhi, July 13: Investigators have uncovered a chilling detail in the Air India Flight 171 crash that killed 260 people in June. Seconds after take-off, both fuel-control switches on the 12-year-old Boeing 787 Dreamliner were abruptly moved to “cut-off” mode—an action typically performed after landing—causing complete engine failure.

Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the other why he “did the cut-off,” to which the other denies doing so. The speakers remain unidentified. At the time, the co-pilot was flying while the captain monitored. The switches were quickly returned to normal, triggering automatic engine relight. One engine began regaining thrust, the other had relit but hadn’t yet recovered.

The flight crashed into a densely populated area of Ahmedabad less than a minute after takeoff, having climbed only 625 feet. Investigators, including experts from Boeing, GE, Air India, and regulators from India, the US, and the UK, are examining wreckage and cockpit recorders to determine what happened.

The fuel switches are designed with safeguards—including lever locks and protective guards—to prevent accidental activation. Experts say triggering both switches simultaneously by accident is extremely unlikely.

“If a pilot turned them off, intentionally or not, the question is why,” said Shawn Pruchnicki, a former airline accident investigator. Peter Goelz, ex-NTSB official, called the discovery “disturbing,” noting that someone in the cockpit shut the valves. More analysis of the voice recorder is needed to identify which pilot acted and why.

The incident has renewed calls for cockpit video recorders, which could provide visual proof of who touched the switches. As of now, voice identification remains unresolved, though individuals familiar with the crew usually help match voices.

The pilots had passed breathalyser tests, were deemed fit, and had proper rest before the flight. Investigators are also probing a 2018 FAA bulletin noting that some Boeing 737 fuel switches were installed without the locking feature engaged. While not classified as unsafe, the advisory recommended inspections—none of which were performed on this 787.

Experts are divided on the relevance of this advisory. Pruchnicki questions whether a disengaged lock could allow a switch to flip unintentionally, while others dismiss it as unlikely.

Another theory is an electronic malfunction. Former AAIB investigator Kishore Chinta asks if the plane’s control unit could have electronically triggered the cut-off switches without pilot input.

Fuel contamination was ruled out after tests came back clean. Mechanical failure is not suspected at this stage. The crash also triggered deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)—a small emergency propeller that activates only during complete engine or hydraulic failure. The landing gear was also still extended, suggesting the plane didn’t reach stable flight.

“The RAT deployment confirms both engines had failed,” said Pruchnicki. The investigation continues, with focus now on voice analysis, switch design, and potential electronic anomalies.

People’s News Monitoring Service