Preliminary Crash Report: Air India Engines Lost Fuel After Takeoff

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – A preliminary report into last month’s catastrophic Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash, which claimed 260 lives and stands as the world’s deadliest aviation accident in a decade, has revealed a critical moment of confusion in the cockpit after the aircraft’s engines abruptly lost fuel just seconds after takeoff.

According to the preliminary findings released on July 12 by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the engines of the London-bound jetliner were starved of fuel when the engine cutoff switches unexpectedly flipped mid-flight. The incident occurred less than a minute after the plane departed from Ahmedabad on June 12.

Cockpit voice recordings recovered from the wreckage capture a startling exchange between the pilots. One pilot is heard asking, “why did he cutoff,” to which the other responded that “he did not do so.” The report did not attribute these voices to either Captain Sumeet Sabharwal or co-pilot Clive Kundar.

Investigators discovered that both fuel control switches had moved from the “run” to the “cutoff” position almost simultaneously shortly after liftoff. These switches are typically reserved for engine shutdown after landing or in emergencies like an engine fire, not during the critical takeoff phase. While the report identifies this as the fundamental reason for the crash, it notably “did not clarify how or why the switches changed positions,” as reported by CNN. The findings leave open questions regarding whether the action was deliberate, accidental, or due to a technical fault, Fox Business reported.

Adding another layer to the mystery, investigators found both fuel switches in the “run” position at the crash site. This suggests the engines automatically relit, but were unable to quickly counteract the plane’s rapid loss of thrust.

The AAIB report also highlighted a 2019 Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin issued by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This bulletin warned that some Boeing 737 fuel switches had been installed with their locking features disengaged. Although the issue was not deemed hazardous enough to necessitate mandatory repairs under federal aviation rules, the same switch design was utilized in the ill-fated Air India aircraft. Air India, however, did not perform inspections as the alert was advisory.

Air India has confirmed its receipt of the AAIB’s preliminary report and stated its continued full cooperation with investigators. A more detailed report is anticipated from the AAIB within 12 months.

In the wake of the preliminary findings, India’s pilot associations have strongly condemned what they term “reckless speculation” by sections of the media hinting at pilot error. The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association, on July 13, denounced “insinuations of pilot suicide” as baseless and insensitive, asserting that the crew acted in line with their training for an emergency. Similarly, the Airline Pilots’ Association of India criticized the preliminary report, calling its tone biased towards pilot error and lacking in transparency. They have demanded the inclusion of line pilots in the investigation process, at least as observers, to ensure transparency and accountability. (with IANS inputs)