A preliminary report into the catastrophic crash of Air India Flight AI 171 on June 12 has revealed a chilling moment inside the cockpit just seconds after takeoff and it raises more questions than answers. The report, released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), emphasises that its findings are not meant to assign blame but to understand what went wrong and prevent similar tragedies. The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, registration VT-ANB, plunged into a hostel complex of a medical college shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport en route to London Gatwick. All 241 people on board including 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and 2 pilots died in the crash. An additional 19 people on the ground also lost their lives, according to the preliminary report.
The Final Minutes: A Timeline from the Report
At exactly 13:39 IST, the aircraft lifted off with all systems normal. Within mere seconds, it began to lose altitude. Data from the flight recorders revealed a rapid and unexplained shutdown of both engines.
“The aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 Knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec. The Engine N1 and N2 began to decrease from their take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off”, the report notes
At 08:08:42 UTC (13:38 IST), the plane reached a maximum indicated airspeed of 180 knots, then disaster struck.
What followed was captured in the cockpit voice recorder (CVR)-
One pilot asked the other, “Why did you cut off?”
The chilling reply came: “I did not ”
That exchange less than ten seconds before impact is now the focal point of the investigation. Neither pilot appears to have intentionally shut down the engines nor is either alive to defend any observation.
Emergency in the Sky
As the engines lost power, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)- a backup hydraulic system deployed, a sign of serious failure. The aircraft started descending rapidly, never clearing the airport perimeter.
"The RAT hydraulic pump began supplying hydraulic power at about 08:08:47 UTC," the report states, confirming a complete loss of main engine-driven power sources.
Desperate to recover, the crew tried restarting both engines. The fuel switches were turned back to RUN positions, and signs of relight began to appear.
However, it was too late.
At 08:09:05 UTC, a “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY” call was transmitted. Six seconds later, the aircraft crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex, just 0.9 nautical miles from the end of the runway.
Devastation on the Ground
The plane broke apart on impact, strewing wreckage across buildings A to F in the complex. Both engines were found detached from the fuselage, and fire damage was extensive.
“The aircraft was destroyed due to impact with the buildings and subsequent fire,” reads the damage assessment. The vertical stabiliser, tail, wings, and engines were all located in separate positions indicating violent fragmentation.
CCTV footage and crash site analysis revealed the aircraft struck trees and an incineration chimney before hitting a building with an 8-degree nose-up angle and level wings a sign the pilots may have tried to maintain control until the last second.
Technical Shadows: A Design Quirk?
While the plane was airworthy and passed recent maintenance checks, the report highlights a past FAA advisory regarding fuel control switches — the same kind involved in the engine cutoff.
Though the issue wasn't deemed critical enough for a mandatory directive, the fuel control switch on the B787 shares its design with those previously flagged in Boeing 737s.
Notably, Air India had not carried out the suggested inspections, stating the FAA’s Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) was advisory in nature.
The Human Factor
Both pilots had clean records and adequate rest. The commander, 56, had over 15,000 flight hours, more than 8,000 of them on the B787. The co-pilot, 32, had over 3,400 hours. The co-pilot was at the controls during the ill-fated flight.
Post-mortem reports and psychological assessments are still being analysed to determine if human error, disorientation, or unintended action played a role.
No Conclusive Cause Yet
While the AAIB has made it clear that the investigation is still underway, the preliminary data suggests a simultaneous fuel cutoff, followed by a failed relight attempt, and insufficient time or altitude to recover.
At this stage, no directives have been issued to B787 operators or engine manufacturers. However, multiple agencies including the U.S. NTSB, FAA, and representatives from Boeing and GE are actively involved.
The investigation continues to analyse the downloaded flight data, interview witnesses, and examine the remnants of critical systems such as the throttle quadrant and fuel switches.
