Here’s a summary of the preliminary report on the Air India Boeing 787-8 accident (registration VT-ANB) at Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. You can read the report itself by clicking here.
The aircraft, operating Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff during the initial climb phase. There were 230 passengers and 12 crew on board. Tragically, all crew and 229 passengers died, with additional injuries on the ground.
The flight crew had adequate rest and were cleared fit to fly. The aircraft was within weight limits and had undergone recent maintenance checks. Four minor equipment issues were noted but within allowed limits.
After liftoff, both engines' fuel cutoff switches unexpectedly moved to cutoff, causing engine flameouts. The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed to supply hydraulic power. One engine was successfully restarted, but the other did not recover power. The aircraft lost altitude and crashed into buildings near the airport, causing significant structural damage and fire.
Flight data and cockpit voice recorders were recovered and partially downloaded. Initial data shows the fuel cutoff switches transitioned to cutoff then back to run during the event, triggering engine relight attempts.
The investigation team includes experts from India, USA, UK, Portugal, and Canada. They have secured wreckage, collected witness statements, and are analyzing flight data, maintenance records, and medical reports. Fuel samples tested normal.
No immediate safety recommendations have been made. The investigation is ongoing to determine root causes and prevent future accidents.
The Fuel Switches
The fuel control switches on the Boeing 787-8, like many modern commercial aircraft, serve as critical components in managing engine fuel flow. They typically have a locking mechanism designed to prevent accidental movement, especially during critical phases like takeoff and climb.
Here’s how these switches generally work:
- Positions: The fuel control switch usually has two main positions: RUN and CUTOFF. In the RUN position, fuel flows normally to the engine, enabling it to operate. In the CUTOFF position, fuel flow is stopped, shutting down the engine.
- Locking Feature: To prevent inadvertent shutdowns, these switches have a locking feature that requires a deliberate action to move them to CUTOFF, such as lifting a guard or pressing a detent before moving the switch.
- FADEC Integration: The Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system manages engine start, operation, and shutdown electronically. When the switch moves to RUN from CUTOFF, FADEC initiates an automatic engine relight sequence if conditions allow.
Regarding the likelihood that both fuel control switches on VT-ANB were moved to the CUTOFF position inadvertently:
- The report notes that both switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF within about a second of each other shortly after liftoff, which is highly unusual.
- The cockpit voice recording captured one pilot questioning the other about why the switch was cut off, with the other denying intentional action.
- The FAA issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin highlighting concerns about potential disengagement of the locking feature on some Boeing models’ fuel control switches. However, this was advisory only, not mandatory, and Air India had not performed the suggested inspections.
- Maintenance records showed no reported defects linked to these switches on this aircraft since 2023.
- Given the switches’ design to prevent accidental movement, simultaneous inadvertent movement of both by the pilots seems unlikely without external factors (e.g., cockpit environment, mechanical faults).
- There’s no indication of bird strike or foreign object interference.
The investigation is likely focusing on whether a mechanical failure, electrical anomaly, or human factor (confusion, misoperation under stress) caused these switches to move. The fact that the switches moved back to RUN position later and the FADEC tried to relight the engines suggests some complex interaction was at play.
In short, while accidental simultaneous fuel cutoff switch movement is possible, it’s not probable without some contributing factor. The investigation will need to analyze the cockpit environment, switch mechanics, and crew actions thoroughly to understand the root cause.
The Girards Law Firm specializes in severe injury and wrongful death cases, especially those that involve birth injuries, brain damage, heart damage, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, commercial plane crashes and commercial trucking crashes nationwide, and especially in Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. James E. Girards is a private pilot licensed to fly single- and multi-engine aircraft in both visual and instrument conditions. Contact us at www.girardslaw.com by using the chat feature for more information.