A preliminary report has identified a cut in the fuel supply to the engines as a contributing factor to the Air India crash involving the Boeing Co. BA 787 Dreamliner that resulted in the loss of 260 lives.

What Happened: The tragic incident occurred when the engine fuel cutoff switches flipped, leading to a loss of engine power, according to a Reuters report on Friday.

The fuel cutoff switches “transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec,” according to the preliminary report.

“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report adds.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was on a flight from Ahmedabad to London when it lost thrust shortly after takeoff. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) reported no apparent fault by Boeing or engine manufacturer GE Aerospace GE.

See Also: Chuck Schumer Slams Trump’s FAA Chief Pick Bryan Bedford Over 1,500-Hour Rule: ‘He Will Weaken Safety Standards’

The crash presents a significant challenge to the Tata Group as it strives to enhance Air India’s reputation. The report highlighted the activation of a backup energy source, indicating engine power loss.

Cockpit voice recordings revealed a pilot questioning the fuel cutoff, with the other denying any action.

Commanding pilot Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kunder were experienced, with 15,638 and 3,403 flying hours, respectively. The report did not clarify how the switches flipped. U.S. aviation experts noted the improbability of accidental switch movement.

The AAIB leads the investigation, with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration involved.

Why It Matters: The crash has put a spotlight on Boeing’s ongoing challenges, as India’s aviation ministry considered grounding the Boeing 787 8 fleet.

The incident had also reignited discussions about Boeing’s troubled history, including past safety concerns and legal issues.

The investigation faced controversy when India denied a UN Aviation investigator the opportunity to join the probe.

Loading… Loading…

Read Next:

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo Courtesy: Renatas Repcinskas on Shutterstock.com

An Air India pilot asked why the doomed plane’s fuel had been cut off moments before it crashed.

A highly-anticipated report released by Indian authorities just after midnight on Saturday said initial findings indicate switches controlling fuel flow to the jet’s two engines were turned off, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust at take-off.

All but one of 242 people on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner were killed when the aircraft plunged into a medical student hostel in a built-up suburb last month, less than a minute after take-off from Ahmedabad airport.

Amid the confusion, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why “did you cut off” to the fuel supply in the recovered cockpit voice recording.

The other pilot responded that he “didn’t”, according to the report.

New Delhi: Both switches feeding fuel to the two engines of Air India flight 171 were cut off followed by confusion among pilots, before the plane crashed in Ahmedabad, seconds after taking off, the first investigation report into the Ahmedabad crash has revealed.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) made public its preliminary report at 1 am on Saturday on the fatal accident of Air India’s Boeing 787-8 plane that was operating flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12.

The report stated that one pilot asked the other why he had shut off the fuel, and the other responded that he hadn’t done it. The crash was the first fatal disaster involving a Boeing 787, killing a total of 260 people — all but one of the 242 people on board the aircraft died — when the plane ploughed into a medical college hostel. The preliminary report recommended no action for now for the operators of Boeing 787-8 planes.

The fatal plane accident happened around 30 seconds after take-off, with the AAIB saying the fuel samples taken from bowsers and tanks used to refuel the aircraft were tested at the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) Lab and were found satisfactory.

The aircraft took off at 08:08:39 UTC (13:38:39 IST) and at about 08:09:05 UTC (13:39:05 IST), one of the pilots transmitted ‘MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY’. “The ATCO (Air Traffic Controller) enquired about the call sign. ATCO did not get any response but observed the aircraft crashing outside the airport boundary and activated the emergency response,” the report said.

Citing the plane’s Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR), the AAIB noted that immediately after the aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed, “engine 1 and engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec”. As per the report, the engines N1 and N2 began to decrease from their take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off.

“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” it said. The preliminary report was widely anticipated to throw more light on what could have led to the crash, which was one of the worst in India in decades, and also it was the first accident involving a Boeing 787 aircraft that resulted in hull loss.

The AAIB said the wreckage site activities, including drone photography and videography have been completed and the wreckage has been moved to a secure area near the airport. “Both engines were retrieved from the wreckage site and quarantined at a hangar in the airport. Components of interest for further examinations have been identified and quarantined,” it said.

The AAIB is gathering additional details based on initial leads and data downloaded from the forward Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) is being analysed. “At this stage of investigation, there are no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers,” the report said. The plane that crashed was powered by GEnx-1B engines.

Statements of the witnesses and the surviving passenger have been obtained by the Investigators. The complete analysis of postmortem reports of the crew and the passengers is being undertaken to corroborate aeromedical findings with the engineering appreciation, AAIB said. The probe is continuing and the investigation team will review and examine additional evidence, records and information that is being sought from the stakeholders.

There were 230 passengers on board, out of which 15 passengers were in business class and 215 passengers were in economy class including two infants. The Pilot In Command (PIC) had more than 15,638 hours of flying experience while the first officer had over 3,403 hours of flying experience.

Air India on Saturday said it is working closely with regulators and other stakeholders, and will continue to cooperate with the authorities in the ongoing probe into the plane crash. Boeing, in a statement, said it continues to support the investigation and Air India.

“We will defer to the AAIB to provide information about AI171, in adherence with the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization protocol known as Annex 13,” it added.

English News

National

Ahmedabad Plane Crash’s Preliminary Probe Report Out

Ahmedabad plane crash report reveals pilot confusion over engine switch: ‘Why did you cut off?’ pilot heard on cockpit audio; Air India engines failed mid-air after fuel switches cut off

New Delhi 12 minutes ago

Copy link

On June 12, an Air India flight crashed shortly after takeoff. 270 people died in the crash.

The preliminary investigation report into the Ahmedabad plane crash has been released, a month after the incident. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) published a 15-page report on July 12. According to initial findings, the crash occurred after both engines of the aircraft shut down.

Soon after takeoff, both engines failed one after the other. Cockpit voice recordings revealed that one pilot asked the other if he had shut down the engine. The co-pilot responded, “No.”

On June 12, flight AI 171, flying from Ahmedabad to London, crashed into a medical hostel building shortly after takeoff. The incident claimed 270 lives, including 241 passengers and crew members. Only one passenger survived.

Air India’s flight AI 171 took off at 1:38 PM on June 12 and the accident happened at 1:40 PM. At that time, the plane was at an altitude of 200 feet.

What came out in the investigation? Here’s what the report revealed — in Q&A format:

Q: What happened in the air?

The report said that just seconds after takeoff, both engines shut down. The fuel cutoff switches moved from RUN (engine on) to CUTOFF (engine off) within a second. This cut off the fuel supply to the engines.

Q: What did the pilots discuss?

Cockpit audio revealed that one pilot asked, “Why did you shut (the engine) down?” The other responded, “I didn’t.”

Q: Did the pilots try to restart the engines?

Yes, the pilots attempted to restart them. Engine 1 (N1) showed some signs of starting, but Engine 2 could not be restarted before the crash. The aircraft remained in the air for just 32 seconds.

Q: Was there any issue with the fuel?

No, fuel tests confirmed there was no issue. Though the thrust levers were found completely broken, black box data showed takeoff thrust was active, pointing to a possible disconnect. Thrust levers are used to control engine power.

Q: Was there a bird-hit during takeoff?

No. The flap setting (5 degrees) and landing gear (down) were normal. There was no evidence of a bird strike.

Q: What was the weather like at the time?

The sky was clear and visibility was good. There was no storm or bad weather.

Q: Were the pilots medically fit?

Yes. Both pilots were found to be medically fit. The captain had 8,200 flight hours and the co-pilot had 1,100 hours of flying experience.

Q: What about the aircraft and engine manufacturers?

This is a preliminary report, and the investigation is still ongoing. For now, no advisory has been issued to Boeing or engine maker General Electric (GE).

The ram air turbine deployed as soon as the aircraft took off

AAIB has confirmed the RAT activation in the CCTV footage.

The report also mentioned that as soon as the engine shut down, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed. It is a small propeller-like device. It spins with the speed of the air and generates electrical and hydraulic power. Especially when the aircraft’s main power is cut off or the hydraulic system fails. The RAT helps to keep at least the navigation and control systems somewhat operational.

Picture of the crash site…

The report states that the aircraft first hit a tree at the crash site. Then it collided with a chimney. After that, it crashed into a building and caught fire. The debris of the aircraft spread far and wide.

The pilot made a mayday call The last signal of the aircraft was received at an altitude of 190 metres (625 feet), which came immediately after takeoff. The aircraft took off from runway 23 at 1:39 PM on June 12. After takeoff, the pilot of the aircraft sent a mayday call (emergency message) to the air traffic controller, but no response was received thereafter.

Why is the fuel switch so important? The Dreamliner aircraft has two positions in both engines called ‘run’ and ‘cutoff’. If the aircraft is in the air and the switch goes to cutoff, the engine stops receiving fuel, which results in loss of thrust and can also stop the power supply, causing several cockpit instruments to shut down.

✕ Close The British victims of Air India plane crash

On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Fuel supply to the engines of the Air India plane that crashed last month was cut off just seconds after the flight took off, a preliminary report by Indian aviation accident investigators has said.

The London Gatwick-bound flight came down in a residential area of Ahmedabad on 12 June, killing a total of 260 people.

The 15-page document published by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, which is part of the ongoing probe into what caused the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to come down, found that fuel control switches were moved to “cut-off” position as the aircraft rose from take-off.

The report also includes a conversation between the pilots on the fuel controls before the crash.

“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut-off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report said.

Of the 242 people onboard flight AI171 to London Gatwick, 241 were killed, including 53 British nationals. The flight crashed into a hostel complex at Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College, killing several students and residents on the ground.

Only one passenger – a British-Indian man seated in 11A – survived.