Sudden fuel cut-off led to Air India crash: Investigation Report

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has identified the primary cause of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. The preliminary investigation report states that the crash was triggered by a sudden interruption in fuel supply to the aircraft’s engines.

On June 12, an Air India Boeing 787 crashed into a student dormitory at a medical college in Ahmedabad, resulting in the deaths of nearly 300 people. Out of the 242 passengers on board, only one survived.

Investigators, after analyzing the aircraft’s black box, found that the two switches controlling the fuel supply were turned off from the "run" position to the "cut-off" position within less than a second. At that time, the aircraft was flying at a speed of 180 knots.

In the audio recordings recovered from the black box, one pilot is heard asking the other why the fuel switches were turned off. The second pilot responded that he did not turn them off. Shortly afterward, the switches were turned back on, and fuel supply to the engines resumed. However, it was too late to regain control, and the plane crashed moments later.

The fuel switches on the Boeing 787 are known as “cut-off” switches. They are located between the pilot seats, just below the throttle levers. For safety reasons, a metal cover and a locking mechanism are installed over them to prevent accidental shutdown.

The report also stated that there was no technical fault during take-off and the quality of the fuel used was up to standard.

However, the investigation is still ongoing to determine exactly how or why the fuel supply was cut off. Officials say they will not draw any final conclusions until the full report is completed.