What are the engine fuel control switches at centre of Air India crash probe?
The preliminary report from investigators probing the Air India crash that killed 260 people showed that seconds after takeoff, the plane's engine fuel control switches were switched off briefly, starving them of fuel.
As a result, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London from the Indian city of Ahmedabad on June 12, immediately began to lose thrust and sink down, according to the report on the world's deadliest aviation accident in a decade, released on Saturday by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
Below are a few facts about the switches, their functions in the aircraft and their movements on the Air India flight.
What are fuel control switches?
Fuel control switches regulate fuel flow into a plane's engines. They are used by pilots to start or shut down engines on the ground or to manually shut down or restart engines if an engine failure occurs during a flight.
The switches are most often used to turn engines off once a plane has arrived at its airport gate and in certain emergency situations, such as an engine fire. The report does not indicate there was any emergency requiring an engine cutoff.
Aviation experts say a pilot would not be able to accidentally move the fuel switches that feed the engines. But if moved, the effect would be immediate, cutting off engine power.
There are independent power systems and wiring for the fuel cutoff switches and the fuel valves controlled by those switches, according to U.S. aviation safety expert John Cox.
Where are they located?
The two fuel control switches on a 787, in Air India's case equipped with two GE engines, are located below the thrust levers.
The switches are spring-loaded to remain in position. There are two modes: cutoff and run.
To change a switch from run to cutoff, a pilot has to first pull it up and then move it from run to cutoff or vice versa.
What happened on the flight?
According to the flight recorder, a few seconds after takeoff, switches for both engines transitioned to cutoff from run one after the other with a time gap of one second. As a result, the engines began to lose power.
One pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said.
It did not identify which remarks were made by the flight's captain and which by the first officer.
Seconds later, the switches flipped back to run, according to the preliminary report, which also noted that both fuel control switches were found in the run position at the crash site.
When fuel control switches are moved from cutoff to run while the aircraft is in flight, each engine's control system automatically manages a relight and thrust recovery sequence of ignition and fuel introduction, the report said.
"No sane pilot would ever turn those switches off in flight," especially as the plane is just starting to climb, said U.S. aviation safety expert John Nance.
The AAIB, an office under India's Civil Aviation Ministry, is leading the probe into the crash, which killed all but one of the 242 people on board and 19 others on the ground.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
What the ‘black box' can tell us about plane crashes
NEW DELHI (AP) — A preliminary finding into last month's Air India plane crash has suggested the aircraft's fuel control switches were turned off, starving the engines of fuel and causing a loss of engine thrust shortly after takeoff. The report, issued by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on Saturday, also found that one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel in the flight's final moment. The other pilot replied he did not do so. The Air India flight — a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — crashed on June 12 and killed at least 260 people, including 19 on the ground, in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad. Only one passenger survived the crash, which is one of India's worst aviation disasters. The report based its finding on the data recovered from the plane's black boxes — combined cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders. Here is an explanation of what black boxes are and what they can do: What are black boxes? The cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder are tools that help investigators reconstruct the events that lead up to a plane crash. They're orange in color to make them easier to find in wreckage, sometimes at great ocean depths. They're usually installed a plane's tail section, which is considered the most survivable part of the aircraft, according to the National Transportation Safety Board's website. What does the cockpit voice recorder do? The cockpit voice recorder collects radio transmissions and sounds such as the pilot's voices and engine noises, according to the NTSB's website. Depending on what happened, investigators may pay close attention to the engine noise, stall warnings and other clicks and pops, the NTSB said. And from those sounds, investigators can often determine engine speed and the failure of some systems. Investigators can also listen to conversations between the pilots and crew and communications with air traffic control. Experts make a meticulous transcript of the voice recording, which can take up to a week. What does the flight data recorder do? The flight data recorder monitors a plane's altitude, airspeed and heading, according to the NTSB. Those factors are among at least 88 parameters that newly built planes must monitor. Some can collect the status of more than 1,000 other characteristics, from a wing's flap position to the smoke alarms. The NTSB said it can generate a computer animated video reconstruction of the flight from the information collected. What are the origins of the black box? At least two people have been credited with creating devices that record what happens on an airplane. One is French aviation engineer François Hussenot. In the 1930s, he found a way to record a plane's speed, altitude and other parameters onto photographic film, according to the website for European plane-maker Airbus. In the 1950s, Australian scientist David Warren came up with the idea for the cockpit voice recorder, according to his 2010 AP obituary. Warren had been investigating the crash of the world's first commercial jet airliner, the Comet, in 1953, and thought it would be helpful for airline accident investigators to have a recording of voices in the cockpit, the Australian Department of Defence said in a statement after his death. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Warren designed and constructed a prototype in 1956. But it took several years before officials understood just how valuable the device could be and began installing them in commercial airlines worldwide. Why the name 'black box'? Some have suggested that it stems from Hussenot's device because it used film and 'ran continuously in a light-tight box, hence the name 'black box,'' according to Airbus, which noted that orange was the box's chosen color from the beginning to make it easy to find. Other theories include the boxes turning black when they get charred in a crash, the Smithsonian Magazine wrote in 2019. The media continues to use the term, the magazine wrote, 'because of the sense of mystery it conveys in the aftermath of an air disaster.'
CBC
7 hours ago
- CBC
What are the engine fuel control switches at centre of Air India crash probe?
Social Sharing The preliminary report from investigators probing the Air India crash that killed 260 people showed that seconds after takeoff, the plane's engine fuel control switches were switched off briefly, starving them of fuel. As a result, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London from the Indian city of Ahmedabad on June 12, immediately began to lose thrust and sink down, according to the report on the world's deadliest aviation accident in a decade, released on Saturday by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Below are a few facts about the switches, their functions in the aircraft and their movements on the Air India flight. What are fuel control switches? Fuel control switches regulate fuel flow into a plane's engines. They are used by pilots to start or shut down engines on the ground or to manually shut down or restart engines if an engine failure occurs during a flight. The switches are most often used to turn engines off once a plane has arrived at its airport gate and in certain emergency situations, such as an engine fire. The report does not indicate there was any emergency requiring an engine cutoff. Aviation experts say a pilot would not be able to accidentally move the fuel switches that feed the engines. But if moved, the effect would be immediate, cutting off engine power. There are independent power systems and wiring for the fuel cutoff switches and the fuel valves controlled by those switches, according to U.S. aviation safety expert John Cox. Where are they located? The two fuel control switches on a 787, in Air India's case equipped with two GE engines, are located below the thrust levers. The switches are spring-loaded to remain in position. There are two modes: cutoff and run. To change a switch from run to cutoff, a pilot has to first pull it up and then move it from run to cutoff or vice versa. What happened on the flight? According to the flight recorder, a few seconds after takeoff, switches for both engines transitioned to cutoff from run one after the other with a time gap of one second. As a result, the engines began to lose power. One pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said. It did not identify which remarks were made by the flight's captain and which by the first officer. Seconds later, the switches flipped back to run, according to the preliminary report, which also noted that both fuel control switches were found in the run position at the crash site. When fuel control switches are moved from cutoff to run while the aircraft is in flight, each engine's control system automatically manages a relight and thrust recovery sequence of ignition and fuel introduction, the report said. "No sane pilot would ever turn those switches off in flight," especially as the plane is just starting to climb, said U.S. aviation safety expert John Nance. The AAIB, an office under India's Civil Aviation Ministry, is leading the probe into the crash, which killed all but one of the 242 people on board and 19 others on the ground.
Toronto Sun
7 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Fuel to Air India plane was cut off moments before crash, investigation report says
Published Jul 11, 2025 • 2 minute read Officials inspect the site of an Air India plane crash on the roof of a building in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, June 13, 2025. Photo by Ajit Solanki / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW DELHI — Fuel control switches for the engines of an Air India flight that crashed last month were moved from the 'run' to the 'cutoff' position moments before impact, starving both engines of fuel, a preliminary investigation report said early Saturday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The report, issued by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, also indicated that both pilots were confused over the change to the switch setting, which caused a loss of engine thrust shortly after takeoff. The Air India flight — a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — crashed on June 12 and killed at least 260 people, including 19 on the ground, in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad. Only one passenger survived the crash, which is one of India's worst aviation disasters. The plane was carrying 230 passengers — 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian — along with 12 crew members. According to the report, the flight lasted around 30 seconds between takeoff and crash. It said that once the aircraft achieved its top recorded speed, 'the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another' within a second. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped to the cutoff position during the flight. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The movement of the fuel control switches allow and cut fuel flow to the plane's engines. The switches were flipped back into the run position, the report said, but the plane could not gain power quickly enough to stop its descent after the aircraft had begun to lose altitude. 'One of the pilots transmitted ''MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY',' the report said. It also indicated confusion in the cockpit moments before the crash. In the flight's final moment, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. 'The other pilot responded that he did not do so,' the report said. The preliminary report did not recommend any actions to the Boeing. Air India in a statement said it is fully cooperating with authorities investigating the crash. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses,' it said. The plane's black boxes — combined cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders — were recovered in the days following the crash and later downloaded in India. Indian authorities had also ordered deeper checks of Air India's entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner to prevent future incidents. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet. Read More NHL Editorial Cartoons World Relationships World
