A preliminary investigation into the tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on June 12 has revealed that fuel to the engines was inadvertently cut off shortly after take-off, leading to the fatal incident. The aircraft, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed less than a minute after departing from Ahmedabad airport in western India, killing 260 people. Remarkably, one British national survived.
According to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), cockpit voice recordings captured a brief but chilling exchange between the pilots moments before the crash. One pilot asked, “Why did you cut off?” referring to the fuel, to which the other responded, “I did not do so.” The fuel control switches for both engines had moved from the ‘run’ to ‘cut-off’ position within a second an action typically reserved for landing or emergencies like engine fires, not take-off.
The incident caused both engines to lose thrust. Although the switches automatically reset and one engine reignited, it was too late to prevent the crash. A Mayday call was issued just before the aircraft plunged into a residential building used as doctors’ accommodation, triggering a deadly explosion.
The AAIB confirmed both pilots Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kundar had adequate rest prior to the flight. The report did not clarify which pilot operated the fuel controls.
Previous speculation pointed to a possible bird strike, but the report stated that “no significant bird activity” was detected in the flight path. The investigation also noted a 2019 FAA advisory regarding certain Boeing 737 fuel switches that lacked a locking mechanism an issue not classified as hazardous, and thus not legally mandated for correction. Air India had not inspected for this feature in its aircraft.
This marks the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787-8 since its debut in 2011, dealing a blow to Air India as it navigates a business turnaround under new ownership by Tata Group. The airline has since reduced international wide-body operations as investigations continue.
Air India and Boeing have pledged full cooperation with the AAIB’s ongoing inquiry. A final report is expected within 12 months.
