The preliminary investigation report on the June 12 Air India Flight 171 crash has revealed that both engines lost power after the fuel cutoff switches were activated moments after takeoff.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the findings on Saturday, stating that both pilots appeared confused about how the fuel was shut off. Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has urged the public not to jump to conclusions before the final report is released.
Black boxes recovered and decoded in India
Two enhanced airborne flight recorders (EAFRs), commonly known as black boxes, were recovered from the crash site. One was found on June 13 with significant heat and impact damage; the second was retrieved three days later. Both were sent to AAIB’s Delhi lab on June 24. Using a “Golden Chassis” and cables sourced from the US National Transportation Safety Board, investigators successfully extracted 49 hours of flight data and two hours of cockpit audio.
The data helped reconstruct the final six flights of the Boeing 787, including the one that crashed. This marks the first time the entire black box decoding process was completed within India.
Cockpit audio reveals critical moment
According to the AAIB’s report, the aircraft reached a speed of 180 knots before both fuel cutoff switches transitioned from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within one second of each other. This led to an immediate drop in both engines’ power levels.
The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel had been cut. The response was, “I didn’t do it.” This moment is being closely examined to understand whether the switches were toggled accidentally or due to a technical fault. The agency has not yet made any conclusive statements, and Civil Aviation Minister Naidu stressed that it is too early to determine the exact cause.
Official response and safety checks underway
Naidu praised the AAIB for handling what he described as a “challenging task” and maintaining transparency. He confirmed that the black boxes were not sent abroad for analysis, as initially speculated. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol had earlier stated that the entire investigation would be conducted domestically.
The AAIB also reported that fuel samples taken from the refueling infrastructure were tested and found to be satisfactory. This rules out poor fuel quality as a contributing factor.
The aircraft, en route from Ahmedabad to London, crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College shortly after takeoff, killing 241 people, including nine students and their family members on the ground. Only one person on board survived.
The final AAIB report is awaited, and authorities stress that no conclusions should be drawn until all technical and procedural assessments are complete.