Preliminary Report on Air India Flight 171 Crash Raises More Questions Than Answers

Ahmedabad, India – The preliminary findings from India’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the crash of Air India Flight 171 have revealed critical new details, but also ignited widespread debate and speculation, particularly around pilot actions during the fatal incident.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner went down less than a minute after take-off from Ahmedabad on its scheduled route to London last month. The crash claimed 241 lives on board and 19 on the ground, with just one passenger surviving the tragedy.

Fuel Cut-Off Switches Moved Mid-Air

The 15-page report, published by the AAIB in compliance with international aviation protocols, stops short of concluding the cause of the accident. However, it notes that both engine fuel cut-off switches were moved from the “run” to the “cut-off” position seconds after take-off—effectively starving the engines of fuel.

Although the engines were reportedly restarted shortly after, the aircraft had already lost critical thrust and altitude, leading to its collision with a nearby building.

The fuel switches in question are not typically operated mid-flight and feature a locking mechanism to avoid unintentional use. The fact that they were manually engaged—whether by accident or error—has intensified scrutiny over cockpit procedures.

Pilot Dialogue Sparks Debate

One particularly striking detail is the reported exchange between the pilots. The report claims one asked, “Why did you cut off?” to which the other replied, “I did not do so.” However, the AAIB does not include the full cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript or identify the individuals speaking, leaving key context missing.

Aviation safety experts have criticized the selective release of information, pointing out that without the CVR transcript or further technical data, forming reliable conclusions would be premature and potentially misleading.

International Oversight Involved

As Boeing (the aircraft’s manufacturer) and GE Aerospace (the engine producer) are based in the U.S., American agencies are also participating in the investigation under international protocols.

Despite the report’s limited scope, it fulfills the requirement to release a factual summary within 30 days. A full and conclusive investigation is expected to take several months, if not longer.

What Happens Next

This early report has fueled both public and expert speculation over human error, system malfunction, or procedural lapses. Investigators are expected to release more data, including detailed CVR and flight data recorder analysis, in subsequent reports.

For now, families of the victims—and the global aviation community—must wait for clearer answers.