New Delhi, July 12 — The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Saturday made public the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed moments after take-off from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12, resulting in the loss of all 241 lives on board.
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The 15-page report outlines a chronological reconstruction of the incident based on cockpit voice recordings and flight data. Investigators emphasize that the report’s primary objective is not to assign blame or liability but to help prevent similar accidents in the future.
According to the AAIB, the crash was triggered by a dual engine shutdown that occurred within seconds of the aircraft becoming airborne. The report notes that the plane had just reached an airspeed of 180 knots indicated airspeed (IAS) when both engines’ fuel cutoff switches transitioned from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" positions—one after the other, with a one-second gap.
Transcripts from the cockpit voice recorder reveal a critical exchange between the two pilots during those moments. One pilot is heard asking, “Why did you cut off?” to which the other responded, “I did not do so.”
The loss of fuel supply immediately led to engine deceleration. Although the crew made a swift attempt to restore engine power—successfully relighting Engine 1—Engine 2 failed to stabilize. The report notes that while Engine 2 attempted to relight and reintroduce fuel multiple times, it was unable to recover adequate core speed for sustained operation.
The aircraft’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed shortly thereafter, indicating a complete electrical failure. A distress call—“Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”—was issued by one of the pilots to Air Traffic Control. The ATC acknowledged the distress call but received no further communication. The aircraft crashed just outside the airport perimeter within moments, the report states.
The document is explicitly marked as a preliminary report, based on early evidence and subject to revision. Government sources confirmed that the administration will withhold further comment until the final and comprehensive report is released by the AAIB.
“The information is preliminary and subject to change,” the report underlines, urging patience and caution as the investigation continues.
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