A preliminary investigation into the fatal Air India crash in Ahmedabad last month has revealed that both engines of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shut down within a second of each other, shortly after take-off. The findings, released on Friday by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), suggest a near-simultaneous transition of the aircraft’s fuel cutoff switches, an event that has become central to the probe.
The cockpit voice recorder has captured a moment of unmistakable confusion between the pilots, further strengthening the likelihood of a cockpit error. One of the pilots is heard asking, “Why did you turn off the fuel pump/switch?”, to which the other replied, “I didn’t do so.” The brief but revealing exchange has raised pressing concerns about possible miscommunication or an unintentional manual action at a critical juncture.
The tragic incident on 12 June claimed the lives of 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew aboard the London-bound flight and 19 others on the ground. The aircraft crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex, moments after departure from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
According to the AAIB’s 15-page report, the Dreamliner achieved a maximum indicated airspeed of 180 knots at 08:08:42 UTC. Within the same moment, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches were observed to have transitioned from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” positions, effectively killing power to both engines. The near-instantaneous shutdown caused engine speeds (N1 and N2) to drop as fuel supply ceased.
Investigators reported a brief and momentary thrust recovery in both engines, but the power output failed to stabilise. The aircraft, having only just lifted off, began losing altitude rapidly and failed to cross the perimeter wall of the airport.
No bird activity was noted in the vicinity, ruling out a bird strike as a contributing factor. Airport CCTV footage confirmed the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a backup system that automatically activates during power loss within seconds of take-off.
“Both engines were retrieved from the wreckage site and quarantined at a hangar in the airport,” the AAIB noted in its report. “Components of interest for further examinations have been identified and quarantined.”
Also read: Air India crash: Preliminary investigation report due today
The AAIB said drone imagery and ground-based documentation of the wreckage have been completed. The aircraft’s aft Extended Airframe Flight Recorder (EAFR), however, suffered severe damage and remains inaccessible through conventional data retrieval methods.
The preliminary report stopped short of issuing any specific safety recommendations. “At this stage of investigation, there are no recommended actions to Boeing 787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers,” the bureau stated.
The investigation, which remains ongoing, will next focus on understanding why the fuel switches were engaged—whether manually, unintentionally, or as a result of system error. The inquiry will also examine the possibility of human-machine interface anomalies or cockpit design flaws that may have contributed to the fatal error.
This tragedy, among the deadliest in India’s aviation history, has once again raised concerns over flight deck ergonomics and post-take-off safety protocols. The final report, which will incorporate findings from forensic analysis of quarantined components and further voice/data recorder evaluations, is expected in due course
Also read: Air India: Dreamliner among safest, over 1100 aircraft in use
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