Fuel Cutoff Mystery: Preliminary Report Sheds Light on AI 171 Crash

The preliminary investigation into the Air India flight AI 171 crash has revealed a critical detail: both engine fuel control switches moved from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ within seconds of each other shortly after take-off. The tragic June 12 incident, which became the deadliest aviation disaster involving an Indian airline in four decades, is now under intense scrutiny with pilot action emerging as a central focus.
According to the 15-page report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the co-pilot was at the controls while the commander monitored the flight. All pre-flight procedures, including maintenance checks and breathalyser tests, were completed as per regulations. The flight proceeded normally until the aircraft reached approximately 400 feet in altitude—when the sudden and near-simultaneous cutoff of both engines occurred.
Cockpit recordings captured a moment of confusion between the pilots, with one asking why the fuel was cut off and the other denying responsibility. Investigators recovered the switches in the ‘RUN’ position, raising more questions than answers. Experts stress that these switches are heavily protected, require deliberate effort to toggle, and are almost impossible to move accidentally during flight. Their typical use is limited to engine start-up and shutdown on the ground, or emergency scenarios.
The report also references a 2018 FAA advisory about the potential disengagement of the locking feature on similar fuel switches, though this was never made mandatory and wasn’t acted upon by Air India. The aircraft’s emergency systems, including the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) and Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), activated automatically after engine shutdown, confirming complete loss of engine power. At this stage, no faults have been found in the aircraft or its engines, pointing further toward possible human error. A final report is expected within the year.