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Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Engine fuel cutoff moments before Air India plane crash, preliminary report reveals
Fuel control switches were switched from "run" to "cutoff", before an Air India plane crashed last month, a preliminary investigation report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Burea revealed early on Saturday. Shortly after takeoff, and once the plane reached its top recorded speed of 180 knots, 'the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another" within a second, which caused a loss of engine thrust moments after it left the runway, the report revealed. Shortly after both switches had been turned off, they were flipped back into the run position. One of the pilots transmitted "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY," however, the plane could not gain power quickly enough after it had begun to lose altitude. The flight lasted around 30 seconds before it crashed. The report also revealed that, prior to the crash, one pilot could be heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking why the other had cut off the fuel. The other pilot responded that he had not done so. The report does not state how the switch could have been flipped to the cut-off position, and did not recommend any actions to the Boeing. Engine switches are usually used by pilots to manually start or stop engines on the ground, or in the case of engine failure during a flight. Aviation experts revealed that it is not possible to accidentally move the switches, due to their placement behind the thrust levers and the designed locking mechanism to avoid accidental switch-off. On June 12, the Air India, London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad. Shortly after crossing the airport perimeter wall, the aircraft starting losing altitude, and eventually crashed into a medical staff hostel. The plane was carrying 230 passengers, everyone on board except for one passenger was killed. Air India said it is fully cooperating with authorities investigating the crash. '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 in a statement.
CNN
8 hours ago
- CNN
Engine fuel supply was cut just before Air India jet crash, preliminary report says
CNN — A cut in the fuel supply to the engines caused last month's Air India crash that killed 260 people, a preliminary report has found. The London-bound plane had barely left the runway at Ahmedabad airport when it hurtled back to earth. Everyone on board was killed, except for one passenger. According to the report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, obtained by CNN, the fuel control switches in the cockpit of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner had been flipped, starving the engines of fuel. Investigators were able to get data out of the plane's 'black box' recorders, including 49 hours of flight data and two hours of cockpit audio, including from the crash. The aircraft had reached an airspeed of 180 knots when both engines' fuel cutoff switches were 'transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec,' according to the report. '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 reads. Shortly after, the switches were reversed back to where they should have been, and the engines were in the process of powering back up when the crash happened. On the 787, the fuel cutoff switches are between the two pilots' seats, immediately behind the plane's throttle levers. They are protected on the sides by a metal bar and have a locking mechanism designed to prevent accidental cutoff. Airport footage shows the Ram Air Turbine, an emergency power source on an aircraft, deployed during the plane's initial climb after takeoff, the report said. The plane started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall. '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 states. Seconds after the engines attempted to relight, one pilot called out, 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY.' The controller called out for the plane's callsign, but didn't get a response and watched the plane crash in the distance. The fuel switches were 'designed to be intentionally moved,' according to CNN safety analyst David Soucie, who said cases in which all fuel switches were turned off accidentally are 'extremely rare.' '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,' Soucie said on Friday. The captain of the flight was a 56-year-old who had flown more than 15,000 hours in his career. The first officer was a 32-year old man with over 3,400 flying hours. Investigators also noted settings on equipment found in the wreckage was normal for takeoff. The plane's fuel was tested and found to be of satisfactory quality, and no significant bird activity is observed in the vicinity of the flight path, according to the report. The takeoff weight for the plane was found to be within allowable limits, and there were no 'Dangerous Goods' on the aircraft. Investigators found the flaps on the wings of the plane were set in the 5-degree position, which is correct for takeoff, and the landing gear lever was in the down position. The left engine was installed on the plane on March 26 and the right was installed on May 1, the report said. Air India flight 171 took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in India's western state of Gujarat on June 12. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was headed to London Gatwick, and scheduled to land at 6:25 p.m. local time. Air India had said 242 passengers and crew members were on board. That included 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. In addition to those on board, a number of people on the ground were killed when the plane crashed into the BJ Medical College and Hospital hostel. The crash resulted in 260 fatalities total, according to the report. A number of the dead on the ground resulted from the plane hitting the hostel. Air India acknowledged that it received the report and said it will continue cooperating with authorities in the investigation. 'Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident,' the airline posted to X on Saturday (local time). 'We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time.'
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Factbox-Who were the two pilots who flew the Air India jet that crashed?
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Investigators probing a deadly Air India crash said in a preliminary report that the aircraft's engine fuel switches were flipped to an off position briefly, leading to confusion in the cockpit and putting focus on the pilots flying the Boeing 787. Below is a brief profile of the two pilots based on the preliminary investigation report and media reports: CAPTAIN SUMEET SABHARWAL The 56-year-old had an airline transport pilot's licence that was valid until May 14, 2026. He had obtained clearances to fly as pilot-in-command on several aircraft including the Boeing 787 and 777 and the Airbus A310. He had total flying experience of 15,638 hours, of which 8,596 hours were on a Boeing 787. Sabharwal had called his family from the airport, assuring them he would ring again after landing in London, according to a Times of India report. A pilot who had briefly interacted with him told Reuters he was a "gentleman." FIRST OFFICER CLIVE KUNDER The 32-year-old had a commercial pilot license which was issued in 2020 and valid until September 26, 2025. He had obtained clearances to fly Cessna 172 and Piper PA-34 Seneca aircraft as pilot-in-command and as co-pilot on Airbus A320 and Boeing 787 jets. He had total flying experience of 3,403 hours. Of that, 1,128 hours of experience were as a 787 co-pilot. Since his school-going days Kunder was passionate about flying, and in 2012, began serving as a pilot, Indian media reported, citing his relatives. He joined Air India in 2017.
