In a chilling revelation, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India has released its 15-page preliminary report into the tragic Air India Flight AI171 crash on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad. The report confirms that both engines of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft bearing registration VT-ANB shut down within seconds of takeoff, leading to the fatal crash that claimed 260 lives, including passengers, crew, and civilians on the ground.
According to data retrieved from the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR), the aircraft reached a peak speed of 180 knots just after liftoff. Moments later, both engine fuel cutoff switches transitioned from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’, effectively starving the engines of fuel. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) captured one pilot questioning the other: “Why did you cut off?”—to which the co-pilot denied initiating the action.
The engines attempted an automatic restart after a few seconds, with engine 1 showing signs of recovery. However, engine 2 failed to regain power. By 08:09:05 UTC, a “Mayday” call was transmitted by the crew, and within moments, the aircraft crashed just outside the airport perimeter.
The AAIB report makes it clear that all mandatory checks had been completed prior to the flight. The aircraft had no reported defects linked to fuel control switches, and both pilots were well-rested and had passed pre-flight alcohol tests. The aircraft had recently undergone scheduled maintenance, and the engines had been installed just weeks prior to the incident.
The aircraft was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick with 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board.
Investigators ruled out bird strikes or adverse weather as contributing factors. The CCTV footage confirmed that the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed moments after takeoff, typically triggered by complete power loss. Notably, the aircraft began losing altitude before even crossing the airport’s perimeter wall, crashing into the BJ Medical College hostel compound located less than a mile from the runway.
The flap and landing gear positions were confirmed to be in normal takeoff configuration, and the aircraft was within approved weight limits.
The AAIB stated that there is no immediate safety directive issued for Boeing 787-8 aircraft or GE’s GEnx engines. However, investigators continue to analyze flight recorder data, maintenance logs, crew postmortem results, and witness accounts.
Investigators noted a 2018 FAA bulletin about possible disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature relevant to the B787-8 but clarified it was advisory, not mandatory, and unrelated to any reported issue on this aircraft.
With critical questions still unanswered particularly regarding the unexpected engine fuel cutoffs the investigation remains ongoing.
