A preliminary report into the deadly Air India crash that killed 261 people last month has revealed that fuel supply to both engines was unexpectedly cut off moments after take-off, triggering a catastrophic failure.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India released its initial findings on Thursday, 30 days after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed near Ahmedabad shortly after departing for London’s Gatwick Airport on June 12.
According to the 15-page report, flight data indicated that the aircraft’s fuel control switches — which regulate engine fuel flow — were moved from the “RUN” to the “CUTOFF” position within one second of each other, causing both engines to lose thrust.
“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other, ‘Why did you cut off?’ The other pilot replied, ‘I did not do so,’” the report said. The identities of the voices were not disclosed.
Though the switches quickly returned to the “RUN” position and one engine began to recover, it was too late to prevent the aircraft’s descent. A Mayday call was issued by one of the pilots just before the plane crashed into a residential building used as doctors’ accommodation, killing 19 people on the ground. One British passenger miraculously survived and has since been discharged from hospital.
The crash claimed the lives of 230 passengers and 12 crew members, including nationals from India, the UK, Portugal, and Canada. Initial fatality figures were revised down from 279 following forensic identification of remains.
The AAIB report did not assign blame or reach conclusions but noted that further evidence is being sought. It also referenced a 2018 advisory from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warning about the possibility of disengaged locking mechanisms on similar fuel control switches in Boeing aircraft. However, this advisory did not require mandatory inspections, and Air India acknowledged it had not performed them.
There were no technical recommendations issued in the report for operators of Boeing 787-8 aircraft or GE GEnx-1B engines, suggesting no immediate concerns with the aircraft’s design or systems.
Boeing has yet to comment publicly, while Air India stated it is fully cooperating with investigators. The airline, currently undergoing a major overhaul under Tata Group ownership, has also announced reduced operations on international routes in the aftermath of the disaster.
Experts from the U.S., UK, and the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization are assisting in the ongoing investigation. A final report is expected within 12 months.
