Air India Flight 171: Cockpit Audio Reveals Engine Fuel Was Cutoff

On June 12, 2024, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed less than a minute after takeoff from Ahmedabad. Now, investigators are piecing together a troubling puzzle: how did both fuel-control switches end up in the “cutoff” position just seconds after departure?

Sudden Shutdown

Seconds after takeoff, the cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other, “Why did he cut off?” The response: “I did not.” Those few words are at the heart of one of India’s most baffling air disasters.

The aircraft lost power when both engines were simultaneously starved of fuel. The fuel control switches—robust, guarded levers designed to prevent accidental use—had somehow been flipped to “cutoff,” a position typically selected only after landing.

Within moments, the pilots returned the switches to “run,” triggering an emergency engine relight. One engine began regaining thrust; the other relit but didn’t have enough time to recover. With the aircraft barely reaching 625 feet, there was simply not enough altitude for recovery.

Fuel Switch Questions

Investigators are now scrutinizing whether mechanical or electronic malfunctions could have triggered the shutdown. A 2018 FAA advisory flagged that similar fuel switches on some Boeing 737s might lack proper locking mechanisms. While not considered unsafe at the time, this same design appears in the Dreamliner involved in the crash—yet the recommended inspections were never carried out.

Could this flaw have caused an accidental fuel shutoff? Or did a human—deliberately or mistakenly—flip both switches?

Signs of a Total System Failure

Further clues include the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), which only activates during complete power loss. The landing gear was never raised—possibly because the pilots were overwhelmed by the emergency. The thrust levers were also found near idle, though data showed they had remained at full power until impact, suggesting rapid thrust loss rather than pilot input.

Both engines were later recovered and quarantined for analysis. Fuel samples tested so far show no sign of contamination. The pilots had passed breathalyzer tests and were well-rested.

Still No Clear Cause

Despite intensive investigation by Indian authorities, Boeing, GE, and international regulators, no definitive cause has been identified. There are no current safety recommendations for Dreamliners or their engines. But experts say a cockpit video recorder—long advocated by the NTSB—might have provided the missing link: a visual record of who moved the switches, and why.

For now, the victims’ families wait, hoping the final report brings answers. As one grieving relative put it, “It won’t bring them back—but at least we’ll know why.”