A month after the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed over 270 people, a preliminary investigation report has revealed a shocking mid-air fuel cutoff as the main cause. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) published a 15-page report that confirms the engines’ fuel switches shifted from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ within seconds after take-off.
The pilots then tried to recover the situation by switching the engines back to ‘RUN’, but the aircraft lost altitude rapidly and crashed within 32 seconds. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner hit a hostel near the airport, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and around 30 on the ground.
Fuel Switches Moved to CUTOFF Seconds After Take-Off
The report confirms both engine fuel switches shifted to CUTOFF moments after liftoff and this action abruptly cut off fuel supply to the engines, where a voice recording in the cockpit captured one of the pilots asking, “Why did you cut off?” The other denied doing so.
Both pilots then flipped the switches back to RUN in an attempt to restart the engines. The Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) showed these transitions, indicating the crew’s desperate efforts to save the aircraft.
Boeing 787 Equipped for Single Engine Flight—But It Failed
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is designed to continue flight with one functioning engine. Its Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system automatically handles relight and thrust recovery. However, the EAFR data stopped recording just seconds later. A MAYDAY alert was transmitted, but Air Traffic Control received no response.
Crash Followed Seconds Later; RAT Deployed on CCTV
CCTV footage showed the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) immediately after liftoff, indicating a dual-engine failure. The aircraft lost altitude before it crossed the perimeter wall. It then slammed into a medical student hostel and exploded.
Pilot Experience Not in Question; FAA Advisory Cited
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, with 1,100 hours, piloted the plane and both were medically fit and properly rested, the report found no evidence of sabotage.
However, it cited an FAA advisory about a possible fuel control switch flaw in 737 models and the switches might have been installed with the locking feature disengaged. FAA had said the concern wasn’t classified as an unsafe condition at the time.
Bird Strike Ruled Out, Historical Incident Cited
Investigators ruled out bird strikes or external obstructions and the report mentioned a similar 1980s incident involving Delta Air Lines, where a pilot accidentally cut fuel but managed to restart engines due to higher altitude.
