Preliminary Report Suggests Air India Captain May Have Shut Off Fuel Before Fatal Crash
Investigators are examining cockpit recordings and preliminary findings indicating the captain of an Air India flight may have turned off fuel switches shortly after takeoff, leading to a crash that killed 260 people.
Investigators are focusing on cockpit voice recordings and early reports after an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed near Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff on July 12, 2025, resulting in 260 fatalities. The aircraft, operating as Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, went down moments after departing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
A preliminary report released last week noted that fuel to both engines appeared to have been shut off seconds after the plane lifted off. According to the report, the fuel cutoff switches for both engines were moved from the "RUN" to the "CUTOFF" position in quick succession, stopping fuel flow to the engines.
Cockpit voice recordings reviewed by investigators captured one pilot questioning the other about activating the cutoff switch. The report states that the other pilot denied doing so. The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the U.S. official's early assessment, reported that the dialogue suggests it was the captain who turned off the switches controlling fuel to the engines.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash as further details emerge from ongoing analysis.
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