The preliminary investigation into the crash of Air India flight AI171 has found that both engines of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shut down within seconds of take-off from Ahmedabad, leading to a catastrophic mid-air loss of power.According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), both engines’ fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF within a second of each other, an event that effectively shut down power to the aircraft.Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel had been cut. “I did not do it,” the other pilot is heard replying.
Just moments later, CCTV footage showed the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)—a backup power source deployed during engine failure—deploying during the plane’s initial climb.The preliminary report, released on July 11, outlines the sequence of events that led to the crash on June 12, when flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed into a hostel complex near the airport, killing 260 people. This marks the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The aircraft had arrived earlier that day from Delhi and was cleared for take-off after minor troubleshooting on a non-critical technical message logged by the previous crew. On board the London-bound flight were 230 passengers, including two infants, and 10 cabin crew. The cockpit was manned by a captain and a co-pilot, both based in Mumbai and deemed fit for duty.Flight data shows the aircraft began rolling from Runway 23 at 13:37 IST. It reached take-off speed and lifted off at 13:38 IST.But just seconds after reaching its peak speed of 180 knots, both engines abruptly lost power.The RAT deployed automatically, and the aircraft began losing altitude rapidly before clearing the airport perimeter.An emergency “Mayday” call was transmitted at 13:39 IST. Attempts to relight both engines were partially successful: engine 1 showed signs of recovery, but engine 2 failed to regain core speed despite repeated fuel injections. The flight data recorder stopped transmitting at 13:39:11 IST, seconds before impact.The AAIB confirmed that the aircraft had no dangerous goods on board and ruled out bird strikes.
Air India has acknowledged the AAIB’s preliminary report into the AI171 crash and reaffirmed its support for affected families. The airline stated it is cooperating fully with investigators but will not comment on technical details due to the ongoing nature of the probe.First Published: Jul 12, 2025 4:01 AM IST
