A preliminary report into the devastating crash of an Air India Boeing (NYSE:BA) 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad has revealed that both engines lost power seconds after takeoff due to an abrupt cutoff in fuel supply.
The finding, released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), sheds new light on the final moments of flight AI 171, which crashed on June 12, killing 241 people on board and 19 on the ground.
30 seconds from takeoff to disaster
According to the AAIB, the aircraft reached a speed of 180 knots shortly after leaving the runway.
Within seconds, the fuel control switches for both engines were moved from their normal “run” position to “cutoff,” starving the engines of fuel and causing a total loss of thrust.
Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the other, “Why did you cut off?” to which the second pilot replied, “I didn’t”.
The confusion in the cockpit was followed by frantic attempts to restore power.
About 10 seconds after the cutoff, the pilots moved the switches back to “run” and successfully relit both engines. However, only one engine responded fully, while the other failed to build up enough power to sustain flight.
A distress call—“mayday, mayday, mayday”—was issued just moments before the aircraft lost altitude and crashed into a densely populated district, striking a medical college hostel and erupting in flames.
