TEMPO.CO, Jakarta -The cause of the Air India crash that killed 260 people is starting to come to light. An initial investigation found that a cut-off in the aircraft’s fuel supply led to engine failure.
The plane, bound for London, had just taken off from Ahmedabad Airport when it fell back to the ground. Only one person survived.
According to the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, cited by CNN, the fuel control switch in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner cockpit had been flipped. This left the engines without fuel.
Investigators retrieved 49 hours of flight data and two hours of cockpit audio, including during the crash. The report stated that the aircraft was flying at 180 knots when the fuel cutoff switches on both engines were moved from the RUN to the CUTOFF position, just one second apart.
"In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report stated.
Moments later, the switch was returned to the correct position, and the engines began restarting when the crash occurred.
The fuel cutoff switch on the 787 is located between the two pilot seats, behind the throttle levers. It has side guards and a locking mechanism to prevent accidental activation.
Recordings also show that the aircraft’s Ram Air Turbine, an emergency power source, was triggered right after takeoff. The plane began losing altitude before it cleared the airport's perimeter.
"When fuel control switches are moved from CUTOFF to RUN while the aircraft is inflight, each engines full authority dual engine control automatically manages a relight and thrust recovery sequence of ignition and fuel introduction," the report said.
A few seconds after the restart attempt, one of the pilots radioed, "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY." The controller responded but got no reply before the plane crashed.
CNN safety analyst David Soucie said the switches are designed to be moved deliberately and cannot be changed accidentally.
"Throughout the years, those switches have been improved to make sure that they cannot be accidentally moved and that they’re not automatic. They don’t move themselves in any manner," he said.
The captain, age 56, had logged over 15,000 flight hours, while the co-pilot, age 32, had more than 3,400 hours.
Investigators reported that all equipment and fuel met safety standards and that no bird activity was detected along the flight path.
Air India confirmed it has received the report and stated that it remains committed to working with authorities on the ongoing investigation.
“Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident,” the airline posted on X on Saturday (local time). “We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time.”
CBS News and aviation outlet Air Current reported the investigation is focusing on the aircraft's engines and fuel control switches.
Air India Flight AI171 crashed on June 12 shortly after takeoff. The flight was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport with 242 people on board. At least 29 people on the ground also died.
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