One month after the Air India Flight AI-171 crash killed 260 people, investigators are set to release a preliminary report today.
30 Seconds to Catastrophe: What Happened on June 12
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport en route to London Gatwick. Just 30 seconds after liftoff, the aircraft issued a “Mayday” distress call, lost altitude, and crashed into the rooftop of a medical college hostel, killing 241 of 242 people onboard and 19 on the ground.
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The lone survivor, a 28-year-old student seated near the rear exit, was pulled from the wreckage hours later. The crash site was described as “apocalyptic,” with debris scattered across the hostel complex and surrounding streets.
The tragedy marked the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner globally, and the worst aviation disaster in India in over 30 years.
Fuel Switches Under Scrutiny: What the Black Boxes Reveal
Investigators from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), assisted by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing, recovered both the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) intact. These devices have been analyzed at AAIB’s newly equipped lab in Delhi.
Early findings suggest a possible error involving the aircraft’s fuel control switches, located on the center console of the cockpit. These switches regulate fuel supply to the plane’s GE Aerospace engines. If toggled to the “cutoff” position, the engines shut down within seconds.
Sources indicate that both engines may have lost thrust simultaneously—a scenario aviation experts call “improbable like hell” unless both fuel switches were turned off. Analysts are exploring whether this was due to pilot error, mechanical malfunction, or a software glitch.
Aviation safety expert John Cox explained:
“If you move those switches from run to cutoff, those engines will stop running in literally seconds.”
The deployment of the ram air turbine (RAT)—an emergency backup power source—further supports the theory of a dual engine failure.
Accountability, Transparency, and What Comes Next
The AAIB is expected to release its preliminary report today, in line with ICAO guidelines that recommend a 30-day window for initial findings. Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu has assured the public that the investigation will be conducted with full transparency and accountability.
While the preliminary report may not assign blame or offer definitive conclusions, it is likely to:
- Confirm the sequence of events leading to the crash
- Highlight possible contributing factors, including fuel switch movement
- Detail crew experience, aircraft maintenance records, and weather conditions
- Outline next steps in the investigation
The final report, which could take several months, will delve deeper into human factors, system design, and regulatory oversight.
Meanwhile, Air India has issued interim compensation to families of nearly two-thirds of the victims. Legal experts warn that accepting full payouts may waive future claims, and families are being advised to seek independent counsel.
Conclusion:
As the aviation world awaits the AAIB’s preliminary report, the focus remains on uncovering the truth behind the Air India Flight AI-171 tragedy. Whether caused by human error, mechanical failure, or a deadly combination of both, the findings will shape future safety protocols and offer long-overdue answers to grieving families. Today’s report may be just the beginning but it’s a crucial step toward justice and reform.
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