Cockpit Chaos: Air India Pilots Question Fuel Cutoff Seconds Before Deadly Crash

By iNewsAfrica Aviation Desk

Ahmedabad, India – July 14, 2025 | A haunting cockpit exchange has emerged from the investigation into the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171, revealing that the pilots were confused and in panic as both engines lost fuel mid-air—seconds before the Boeing 787 Dreamliner plunged into a residential building, killing 241 of the 242 people on board.

According to preliminary findings released by Indian aviation authorities, both engines of the aircraft shut down within seconds of takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport after the fuel control switches were somehow moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” mode.

A chilling snippet from the cockpit voice recorder captured one of the pilots urgently asking:
“Why did you cut off the fuel?”
To which the other replied,
“I did not do so.”

Investigators have yet to determine which pilot made which statement or whether the switches were moved intentionally or by accident. No mechanical or systemic fault has been found in the aircraft, which was less than five years old and had passed all routine maintenance checks.

A Modern Mystery in Midair

The report rules out structural failure or sabotage and instead raises questions about human factors, cockpit ergonomics, and whether inadvertent contact with the switches may have led to the fatal loss of thrust.

The incident occurred just after 9:22 p.m. local time on June 12, with the aircraft crashing less than three minutes after takeoff into a student hostel in the densely populated Bapunagar district of Ahmedabad. All but one onboard were killed, along with 18 students on the ground.

Global Scrutiny and Industry Alarm

Boeing and global aviation bodies are facing renewed pressure as the report references a 2018 FAA advisory warning about the sensitivity of fuel control switches on Dreamliner aircraft. However, the bulletin was non-binding, and no additional inspections had been conducted on this particular jet.

Aviation unions are now calling for a broader probe and cautioning against prematurely blaming pilot error.

What’s Next?

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is collaborating with Boeing and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to determine the root cause.

While the full investigation may take months, families of the victims are already demanding accountability and reform.

“If this was a preventable accident due to switch design or procedure, then every second of cockpit confusion cost lives,” said aviation safety advocate Priya Gokhale.

Visit www.inewsafrica.com for continuing coverage, expert analysis, and updates on the final report.