Air India crash: Engines shut down seconds after takeoff, killing 260

India Gazette

a day ago

NEW DELHI, India: A preliminary investigation into the Air India crash on June 12 in Ahmedabad has revealed that a shift in the fuel control switches occurred just three seconds after the plane became airborne, causing both engines to lose power sequentially, resulting in a crash that killed at least 260 people.
According to the report released late on July 11 by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the fuel cutoff switches for both engines moved from the "RUN" position to "CUTOFF" with a one-second gap between them. This transition happened at exactly 1:38:42 p.m., just three seconds after liftoff.
The cockpit voice recorder captured a brief exchange between the two pilots, where one asked the other why the fuel was cut off. The second pilot responded that he hadn't done it. The report does not identify which pilot made which statement, nor does it confirm whether the switch movement was accidental or deliberate.
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, was in command of the flight and had over 15,600 hours of flying experience. He was also a senior instructor at Air India. The co-pilot, Clive Kunder, 32, had accumulated more than 3,400 flying hours.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was en route to London and began losing thrust almost immediately after takeoff. Moments after liftoff, a backup power system, the ram air turbine, was deployed, indicating a complete engine power loss.
The AAIB report raises critical questions about the design and placement of the fuel cutoff switches. Still, it does not suggest any fault on the part of Boeing or GE Aerospace, the engine manufacturer. At the crash site, both switches were found back in the "RUN" position. Investigators also noted signs that the engines may have attempted to restart before the aircraft crashed at low altitude, killing all but one of the 242 people onboard and 19 people on the ground.
Experts in aviation safety have pointed out that fuel cutoff switches are not easily moved unintentionally. U.S. aviation analyst John Nance remarked that turning them off during flight—especially during the climb phase—would be highly unusual.
The cutoff function is typically used only when a plane is parked at the gate or in the event of a critical emergency, like an engine fire. The report does not indicate that such an emergency occurred.
While the exact cause of the switch movement remains uncertain, the event poses a serious challenge for the Tata Group, which took control of Air India in 2022 and has been working to modernize the airline's image and fleet. In a brief statement, Air India acknowledged the report and said it is cooperating fully with authorities.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) both acknowledged the report. The FAA stated it would continue to follow the investigation and respond to any identified risks. Boeing also reiterated its support for both the investigation and Air India.
The AAIB, which functions under India's Ministry of Civil Aviation, is leading the inquiry. The agency confirmed that both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder—collectively known as the black boxes—were recovered and analyzed shortly after the crash. These devices are key in reconstructing the final moments of the flight and determining what led to the engine shutdown.
Meanwhile, the broader aviation industry in India faces scrutiny. Air India Express, a budget carrier under the same group, is under investigation by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency after allegations it failed to carry out required engine part replacements and falsified records. India's aviation regulator has also flagged multiple safety violations by Air India, including overdue safety checks and breaches of pilot duty limits.