Air India Crash Report Reveals Engine Fuel Cutoff, 260 Dead Ahmedabad

The preliminary investigation into the Air India Flight AI-171 crash on June 12 reveals that just seconds after liftoff from Ahmedabad, both engines suffered a sudden fuel cutoff that led to total power loss and ultimately the disaster killing 260 people onboard and several on the ground. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner's fuel cutoff switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF almost simultaneously within a second at a peak airspeed of 180 knots, causing the engines to lose thrust; cockpit voice recordings captured confusion between pilots about who operated the switches. Despite the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), an emergency power system designed to provide critical flight control power during electrical failure, the backup was insufficient to prevent the crash. Investigators noted that the fuel cutoff switches have a safety locking mechanism and protective guards, making accidental activation highly unlikely, and no external factors like weather or bird strikes contributed to the incident. The aircraft had received prior fuel control module replacements, and the pilots were qualified and rested; however, Air India had not inspected the switches despite a non-mandatory 2018 FAA advisory warning of possible locking mechanism issues. The investigation continues with input from Indian and international aviation authorities to determine the exact causes behind the unprecedented engine shutdown and subsequent crash into a crowded neighborhood.