NEW DELHI: Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau () on early Saturday released its preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft that went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on 12 June. The disaster, which claimed 260 lives including 229 passengers, 12 crew, and 19 people on the ground unfolded within 90 seconds of takeoff.
According to the report, both engines shut down moments after liftoff, following a near-simultaneous movement of fuel control switches from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’. The flight data recorder revealed a chilling exchange between the pilots, with one asking, “Why did you cut off?” and the other replying, “I did not.” The crash has raised urgent questions over whether a technical fault, human error, or a combination of factors was responsible. While the AAIB has yet to assign blame, it has ruled out bird strikes or external damage.
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Cockpit audio reveals pilots' confusion over mid-air fuel cutoff - 10 key points from AAIB preliminary reportAs investigations continue, aviation experts and former pilots have weighed in on the report’s findings, here's what they are saying:
'Raises more questions than it answers'
Aviation expert said the report had notable gaps. “The AAIB report raises more questions than it answers. There are a lot of gaps, which might be filled once the investigation goes further,” he told ANI.
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Boeing says it 'continues to support probe'; after AAIB releases preliminary report outlining final momentsHe also questioned how the US media obtained report details before the Indian public. “How was the US media alerted three days ago… something does seem correct here.”
Lazar also criticised the decision to only partially release the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) transcript: “By just informing the public about one line, it leaves a lot of questions hanging… I do not believe it was appropriate for the AAIB to have said in the last line of the report that there are no safety recommendations for Boeing or General Electric. That means that you have washed your hands or you have decided that there is something else.”
'Why did the engines fail?'
Retired Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor expressed strong reservations about the report’s clarity. “The preliminary report... leaves many doubts in my opinion. Why did the engines fail? The pilot has given a Mayday call, which is given by the pilot when there is a grave emergency.”
He told ANI that the activation of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) suggested total power loss: “RAT indicates that both the complete electricals and the complete engines have failed.”
Citing the Boeing 787 manual, he explained: “When both engines have been cut off, the levers must be manually moved to restart… and in this short period after giving the Mayday call, they have tried to restart the .”
'It says a lot of points that don't add up'
Founder and CEO of Martin Consulting, Mark D Martin, raised concerns about the clarity and technical depth of the AAIB’s preliminary report. “It is the initial report, and it is quite cryptic in many ways. It says a lot of points that don't add up,” he said.
Pointing to inconsistencies, he added, “If there was an engine failure, that is only when the RAT deploys… There is only one course to restart the engine.” Martin also flagged past incidents of fuel cutoff switches tripping, adding, “It could have been one of the reasons for this incident.”
'Important to follow the engine sequence'
Captain Umang N Jani, Head of the Aviation Department at Indus University, said the report points to a fuel cutoff as the immediate trigger.
“It mentions fuel cut off. When the fuel supply stops, both engines stop working, and then the type of incident that happened is possible,” he told ANI. “When you start the engine, there is a complete sequence. It is important to follow that sequence, and this system automatically follows this entire sequence.”
Acknowledging that the report is only preliminary, Jani said further investigations could provide more insight. “It is possible that we may get to see more information and more details in it,” he added.
'Several factors will be seen in this'
Captain Prashant Dhalla, former Flight Operations Inspector with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said the crash cannot be explained by one variable alone.
“There are many aspects that the government and the agencies look into. The report will be divided into many phases,” he said. “If we go by the minute details, then the conversation of the pilots, their flying hours, what was mentioned about the engine, and what procedure was followed by them.”
He also pointed out that restarting a fuel-cut engine is a complex process, particularly under time pressure. “The system of restarting the fuel cutoff is a process where the pilot tries to regain the power in the engine… The time was also very critical; in that moment they tried connecting with the ATC also. They were very experienced pilots.”
'Rumours put to rest, but more probing needed'
Retired Captain and aviation expert Alok Singh welcomed the investigation being conducted domestically but raised concerns about the technical cause.
“It is a fact-finding report and it has put some rumours to rest,” he said. “CVR recording has clearly established that the pilots did not turn off fuel switches. A technical malfunction seems more likely.”
He praised the government’s decision to conduct the probe within India: “A relief to the victims and their family is that a fair probe is being conducted.”
However, he cautioned against premature conclusions: “There was an advisory on the malfunction of these switches... That angle also needs to be probed.”
'Fuel cutoff gives direction to investigation'
Former commercial pilot and YouTuber Gaurav Taneja (popularly known as Flying Beast) said the report gives important leads but must be read with caution.
“It basically revealed what actually happened that day? What was the aircraft, defects, pilot experience and other stuff? But the actual reason behind the accident will only be revealed once the final report comes…”
He added, “The report talks a little bit about fuel cut off. Because there itself a direction has been given to this investigation.”
'Engine failure clearly indicated'
Commercial pilot and BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy noted that the aircraft had reached rotation speed when the crisis began.
“The aircraft ran up to a speed that is required for takeoff… 180 knots, which is a good acceleration speed,” he said. “Possibly after that… deployment of RAT has happened, and the APU, auxiliary power unit, has started operations… This automatically happens when there is a twin-engine failure.”
He said the switches were found back in the ‘ON’ position post-crash: “The pilot monitoring the situation immediately puts the fuel switch control off and on. After the crash, both switches were found on.”
'Report biased towards pilot error': Airline Pilots’ Association
The Airline Pilots’ Association of India has strongly objected to the report’s tone, claiming it leans unfairly towards pilot error.
“The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias toward pilot error. We categorically reject this presumption and insist on a fair, fact-based inquiry,” the body said.
It also questioned the lack of transparency: “The report was leaked to the media without any responsible official signature or attribution… Qualified, experienced personnel, especially line pilots, are still not being included in the investigation team.”
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'Bias towards pilot error': Pilots' association slams AI crash reportWhat is the use of defaming anyone now? Kin of crew
Reacting to the AAIB’s preliminary report, the father of Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma — a crew member who died in the 12 June crash — shared his family’s anguish. “Now whatever was to happen has happened. What is the use of defaming anyone now?” he said. “Every day, we think that our daughter will come back home any minute. The whole family is in grief. What can we say about what happened to the flight? All we knew was that our daughter works in Air India, and runs our house...”
'Wait for final report': Govt
Minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol has urged restraint in interpreting the report.
“This is not the final report. Until the final report comes out, we should not arrive at any conclusion. AAIB is an autonomous authority, and the ministry does not interfere in their work,” Mohol said.
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