The Civil Aviation Ministry on Saturday called for restraint following the release of the preliminary report on the Air India Flight AI171 disaster, which claimed 260 lives in Ahmedabad on 12 June.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that fuel supply to both engines of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was cut off within moments of take-off, sending the aircraft plunging into the BJ Medical College hostel seconds after becoming airborne.
However, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu cautioned the public and media against drawing conclusions from the report, calling the investigation “complex and ongoing”.
“The Civil Aviation Ministry is analysing this report thoroughly. Let’s not jump to any conclusions. Once the final report is out, only then can we arrive at a concrete conclusion,” Naidu said.
The initial probe recorded that the aircraft’s fuel control switches flipped from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" within three seconds of lift-off. Both switches disengaged in near synchrony, though the report does not confirm whether this action was accidental or deliberate.
The cockpit voice recorder captured a brief and telling exchange. One pilot reportedly asked the other, “Why did you cut off the fuel?” The second responded, “I didn’t.”
The flight was under the command of Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, with over 15,600 hours of flying experience. His co-pilot, Clive Kunder, 32, had logged more than 3,400 flight hours.
The brief cockpit conversation, though striking, should not form the basis of hasty conclusions, said Minister of State for Civil Aviation Muralidhar Mohol.
“The AAIB conducts investigations without any interference. We did not send the black box abroad... it was decoded right here in our own country,” Mohol said. “No conclusions can be drawn based on the pilot’s conversation alone, as it was a very brief exchange.”
The crash killed all 241 passengers and crew aboard, in addition to 19 people on the ground.
Questions remain over what triggered the abrupt fuel cutoff and whether human error, technical malfunction, or systemic failure played a role.
While reaffirming confidence in India’s aviation personnel, Naidu paid tribute to the competence and professionalism of domestic flight crews.
“We have the most wonderful workforce in terms of pilots and crew in the whole world. Pilots and crew are the backbone of the aviation industry,” he said.
The final report is expected to provide clarity on whether the fatal switch manipulation stemmed from oversight, miscommunication, or sabotage. Until then, officials insist the public must withhold judgment. The Civil Aviation Ministry on Saturday called for restraint following the release of the preliminary report on the Air India Flight AI171 disaster, which claimed 260 lives in Ahmedabad on 12 June.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that fuel supply to both engines of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was cut off within moments of take-off, sending the aircraft plunging into the BJ Medical College hostel seconds after becoming airborne.
However, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu cautioned the public and media against drawing conclusions from the report, calling the investigation “complex and ongoing”.
Also read: 'Why did you...': Cockpit voice reveals final moments of AI crash
“The Civil Aviation Ministry is analysing this report thoroughly. Let’s not jump to any conclusions. Once the final report is out, only then can we arrive at a concrete conclusion,” Naidu said.
The initial probe recorded that the aircraft’s fuel control switches flipped from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" within three seconds of lift-off. Both switches disengaged in near synchrony, though the report does not confirm whether this action was accidental or deliberate.
The cockpit voice recorder captured a brief and telling exchange. One pilot reportedly asked the other, “Why did you cut off the fuel?” The second responded, “I didn’t.”
The flight was under the command of Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, with over 15,600 hours of flying experience. His co-pilot, Clive Kunder, 32, had logged more than 3,400 flight hours.
The brief cockpit conversation, though striking, should not form the basis of hasty conclusions, said Minister of State for Civil Aviation Muralidhar Mohol.
“The AAIB conducts investigations without any interference. We did not send the black box abroad... it was decoded right here in our own country,” Mohol said. “No conclusions can be drawn based on the pilot’s conversation alone, as it was a very brief exchange.”
The crash killed all 241 passengers and crew aboard, in addition to 19 people on the ground.
Questions remain over what triggered the abrupt fuel cutoff, and whether human error, technical malfunction or systemic failure played a role.
While reaffirming confidence in India’s aviation personnel, Naidu paid tribute to the competence and professionalism of domestic flight crews.
“We have the most wonderful workforce in terms of pilots and crew in the whole world. Pilots and crew are the backbone of the aviation industry,” he said.
The final report is expected to provide clarity on whether the fatal switch manipulation stemmed from oversight, miscommunication or sabotage. Until then, officials insist the public must withhold judgment.
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