WHAT?

The preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on the Air India Flight AI-171 crash, released around July 11-12, 2025, details the catastrophic incident that occurred on June 12, 2025, when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, en route to London Gatwick. 

The crash killed 241 of 242 onboard and 19 people on the ground, totaling 260 fatalities, with one survivor. Both black boxes (cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder) were recovered on June 13 and 16, with data successfully downloaded by June 25. Analysis is ongoing at the AAIB’s lab in New Delhi. The investigation involves experts from the Indian Air Force, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Boeing, GE Aerospace, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch. A UN ICAO observer was granted access after initial restrictions. Below are the main points from the preliminary report.

Main Points of the Preliminary Report

1. Fuel Control Switches Moved to CUTOFF : Seconds after takeoff, both engine fuel control switches transitioned from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” position, one after another with a one-second gap, cutting off fuel supply to both engines and causing a loss of thrust. This led to the aircraft’s rapid descent. Cockpit voice recorder (CVR) captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” with the other responding, “I didn’t,” indicating confusion and no intentional action by the pilots.
2. The switches were moved back to the “RUN” position approximately 10 seconds later, with one engine partially restarting, but the aircraft, at a low altitude of about 625–650 feet, could not recover in time.
3. No Mechanical or Design Flaws Identified: The report found no immediate evidence of mechanical failure or design issues with the Boeing 787-8 or its GE Aerospace GEnx-1B engines. No safety advisories were issued to operators or manufacturers.
4. Initial inspections ruled out fuel contamination and improper flap/slat configuration as causes.
5. Flight Details and Timeline : The aircraft took off at 13:39 IST (08:09 UTC), reached an altitude of 625–650 feet, and crashed 30–32 seconds later into the hostel block of B.J. Medical College, causing explosions and destroying five buildings.
6. A mayday call was issued by one pilot, reporting “no thrust, losing power,” moments before the crash, with no further response to air traffic control (ATC). The report does not specify which pilot made which remarks or issued the mayday call.
7. The ram air turbine (RAT), an emergency power generator, was deployed, indicating a loss of primary power.
8. Pilot and Crew Information : The flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (15,638 flight hours, Air India instructor) and co-pilot Clive Kunder (3,403 flight hours). Their experience and training records are under review, but no issues were noted in the preliminary report.
9. Aircraft Condition : The Boeing 787-8 (registration VT-ANB, manufactured 2013) had a clean maintenance record, with a major check in June 2022 and the next due in December 2025. The right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine inspected in April 2025.
10. The aircraft was within weight limits and had sufficient fuel (nearly 100 tonnes).
11. Other Observations : The fuel control switches have a locking mechanism to prevent accidental movement, raising questions about how they were flipped to CUTOFF.  A 2018 FAA bulletin noted issues with similar switches on Boeing 737s, but no mandatory fixes were required for the 787.
12. The report notes no unusual weather conditions or air traffic control issues at the Time of the crash.   
13. Questions on sabotage not ruled out though no evidence has been confirmed.
14. Pilot Actions Unclear : The cockpit audio suggests neither pilot intentionally cut the fuel, deepening the mystery. Experts note that accidental switch movement is unlikely due to the locking mechanism, and no emergency warranted such an action.