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On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London, plunged from the skies moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people—242 onboard and 18 on the ground. The aircraft suffered a total loss of thrust as both engines shut down inexplicably, just seconds after liftoff.
A preliminary 15-page investigation report recently released by aviation authorities offered a technical explanation: the dual fuel control switches in the cockpit moved from RUN to CUTOFF within seconds of each other, triggering a total engine shutdown. The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?”, and the other responding, “I didn’t.”
While that exchange suggests a possible human error, the report leaves too many questions unanswered—raising concern that the investigation may be concealing more than it reveals.
The Fuel Switch Mystery
Modern jetliners, especially the Boeing 787, are equipped with locking mechanisms to prevent accidental fuel shutoff. The switches require deliberate and simultaneous force to disengage. For both switches to shift to CUTOFF in under five seconds, either a mechanical malfunction or deliberate action had to occur. The report does not conclusively explain how this happened.
Instead, it mentions prior warnings from regulators about potential issues with these fuel control switches—but issues no recommendations or fleet-wide safety checks. In a crash of this magnitude, the omission of mandatory technical reviews is concerning.
A Report That Tells Half the Story
Beyond the technical detail, what’s striking is what the report omits:
- No full transcript of the cockpit voice recorder was released. Only 28 words are quoted, without identifying who said what. This selective disclosure prevents a clear understanding of cockpit dynamics in those final moments.
- No root cause analysis is presented to explain why both fuel switches disengaged simultaneously. Was it pilot error, mechanical failure, or a possible automation issue? The report does not say.
- No analysis of pilot fatigue or psychological condition is included, even though mental load and crew rest are globally recognised as critical in such investigations.
- The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) failed, and one of the flight recorders was damaged beyond recovery. Yet no explanation is offered for these secondary failures, which could have hampered both rescue and investigation efforts.
- Emergency response was delayed, arriving over five minutes after the crash. International guidelines require response within three minutes. The report doesn’t explore what caused this delay or whether more lives could have been saved.
A Pattern of Deflection?
Historically, crash investigations in the region have often leaned toward pinning the blame on pilot error, while avoiding scrutiny of systemic weaknesses—whether infrastructure, aircraft design flaws, or regulatory oversight gaps.
In this case, a report that essentially reduces a mass-fatality crash to a cryptic cockpit exchange and a mechanical outcome, without demanding sweeping changes or even issuing safety bulletins, suggests a reluctance to confront deeper truths.
Why were the full voice recordings not disclosed? Why is there no call for Boeing to review the fuel cutoff system? Why is there no urgency to examine the Dreamliner fleet operating worldwide under similar configurations?
What Needs to Be Investigated Further
To restore public confidence and honour the lives lost, the following must be addressed in the final report:
- A comprehensive technical audit of the Dreamliner’s fuel control system across all fleets.
- Full publication of cockpit voice and flight data transcripts.
- An independent investigation into ELT and black box survivability.
- An inquiry into emergency response delay and airport disaster readiness.
- An impartial review of Air India’s safety culture, maintenance records, and pilot workload.
Conclusion
The loss of Flight AI171 was not just a tragedy—it was a test of transparency, safety, and trust. But instead of answers, the preliminary report offers a tightly edited version of events that seems to deflect responsibility and silence deeper questions.
When a modern jetliner drops from the sky because both engines shut down seconds after takeoff, the world expects—and deserves—a report that doesn’t just explain the sequence, but confronts the causes. Until that happens, the mystery remains: who—or what—cut the engines?