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Arab Times
13-07-2025
- General
- Arab Times
Air India crash: Startling cockpit exchange deepens the mystery
NEW DELHI, July 13: Investigators probing the crash of Air India Flight 171, which killed 260 people in June, have uncovered a disturbing detail in the preliminary report: both of the aircraft's fuel-control switches were inexplicably moved to the "cut-off" position seconds after take-off, starving the engines and causing total power loss. This action, normally reserved for post-landing procedures, triggered a chain of events that led to one of India's most puzzling aviation disasters. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a 12-year-old aircraft, had just departed from Ahmedabad when it lost power and plummeted into a crowded neighborhood, remaining airborne for less than a minute. The cockpit voice recorder captured a pilot questioning the other with, 'Why did you do the cut-off?', to which the other replied he hadn't. It remains unclear who made the statement. At the time, the co-pilot was flying the aircraft while the captain was monitoring. After the switches were returned to their flight position, the engines began to relight. However, only one had regained thrust before the crash. Investigators are now analyzing wreckage and cockpit recordings to determine what caused the switches to be moved to "cut-off" just after take-off. The report, compiled by Indian authorities with assistance from Boeing, General Electric, Air India, and experts from the US and UK, outlines that the lever-lock fuel switches on the aircraft are designed to be nearly impossible to activate accidentally. These switches are guarded and require a lift-and-turn action to engage. Experts say the likelihood of both switches being pulled by accident is extremely low. The mysterious dual switch-off has led to speculation about whether it was an intentional act, a case of confusion, or a potential technical malfunction. Shawn Pruchnicki, a former airline investigator and aviation expert at Ohio State University, noted that such an action typically requires an underlying issue, yet no abnormality was reported by the pilots before the engines lost power. Peter Goelz, former managing director of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), expressed concern over the cockpit voice recording, which so far has revealed only a single cryptic line of dialogue. He stressed the importance of full voice identification and a complete transcript, noting that investigators still don't know which pilot moved the switches. The case has reignited calls for cockpit video recorders, which could have clearly shown whose hand was on the switches at the time. Goelz emphasized that a visual recording could help answer critical questions that audio alone cannot. The investigation also references a 2018 advisory from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which warned that some Boeing 737 aircraft may have fuel control switches installed with disengaged locking mechanisms. Though not deemed unsafe, the advisory recommended inspections. Air India, operating the same switch design in its Boeing 787-8 aircraft, including the ill-fated VT-ANB, did not carry out these checks as they were not mandatory. Pruchnicki questioned whether a fault in the switch could allow it to disengage with a single action, though other experts, including Goelz, cautioned against drawing conclusions too quickly, noting a lack of pilot complaints on the issue. Another potential concern under review is whether the aircraft's electronic control unit could have triggered the switches electronically. Former Indian AAIB investigator Capt. Kishore Chinta raised this possibility, suggesting the switches may have been tripped without pilot involvement. The report confirmed that fuel samples taken from the aircraft were satisfactory, ruling out contamination, and noted no immediate advisories were issued for the Boeing 787 or its General Electric GEnx-1B engines. However, the aircraft's Ram Air Turbine (RAT) had deployed—a sign of total engine failure. This backup power source is triggered automatically when both engines shut down or all three hydraulic systems lose pressure. Another clue to the crash's rapid progression lies in the aircraft's landing gear, which was found down. A Boeing 787 pilot explained that retracting the gear typically completes within eight seconds of take-off, but given the quick onset of engine failure, the pilot likely had no time to initiate retraction. Investigators believe the crew attempted to recover the flight, with both engines switched back to "run" shortly after the cut-off, but the timing was insufficient. The left engine was relit first, followed by the right, which had not regained full power before the crash. For families of the victims, the report offers more questions than answers. Imtiyaz Ali, who lost four relatives in the crash, said the preliminary findings lacked clarity. 'It reads like a product description,' he said. 'Besides the last cockpit exchange, there's nothing definitive about what caused this.' Ali and others hope that more information will be released in the coming months. 'This matters to us,' he said. 'We want to know what happened—not that it will change anything now—but at least we'll have answers.'
Hans India
13-07-2025
- General
- Hans India
Engines shut, fuel cut off
'In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut off' the fuel, said the report, by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. 'The other pilot responded that he did not do so.' The London-bound plane went down on June 12, about 30 seconds after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. All but one of the 242 people aboard were killed. The plane rammed into the dining hall of a medical college before exploding in flames. Altogether, more than 270 people were killed, including dozens on the ground, officials said. The supply of fuel to the engine is controlled by two switches in the flight deck. Starting about 10 seconds after the fuel was cut off on Flight 171, the data recorder shows, the switches were moved to turn the fuel back on. But the plane could not gain power quickly enough to stop its descent. Each switch is equipped with a locking mechanism that is supposed to prevent accidental movement, experts said. To turn the fuel supply on, the switch must be pulled outward and then moved to a 'RUN' position, where it is released and settles back into a locked position. To turn the fuel supply off, the switch must be pulled outward again, moved to the 'CUTOFF' position and then released again. According to the report, the fuel control switches were turned off 'one after another' about a second apart, and 'the aircraft started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall.' Safety experts said it appeared unlikely that the switches were moved without human involvement, whether intentional or accidental. The fuel switches have safeguards built around them to avoid any accidental switching off, said Shawn Pruchnicki, a former airline accident investigator and aviation expert at Ohio State University. 'For example, on the 787 and probably more airliners these days, the switches themselves — you can't shut them off without actually lifting them up,' he said. 'So there's a little mechanical gate built into the switch — you have to lift it up over this little gate. So you can't just bump it.' The flight's captain was Sumeet Sabharwal, who had over 15,000 hours of flying experience, while First Officer Clive Kunder brought 3,400 hours of flying experience, Air India said. That is more experience than officials attributed to the pilots last month, when they estimated a combined experience of about 10,000 hours. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, the US National Transportation Safety Board and Boeing have been trying to determine what caused Flight 171 to crash.
Observer
12-07-2025
- General
- Observer
Fuel to the Air India plane was cut off before the crash: Report
NEW DELHI — Seconds after takeoff and moments before an Air India flight crashed last month, the fuel was cut off to both engines of the plane, investigators said early Saturday, in a preliminary assessment of information from the aircraft's voice and data recorder. The narrowed focus on the fuel switches on Air India Flight 171 raised questions about the pilots' actions and appeared to rule out mechanical failure or design flaws. The report said 'there are no recommended actions' to the aircraft and engine manufacturers, Boeing and General Electric. 'In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he cut off the fuel, said the report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. 'The other pilot responded that he did not do so.' The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner went down on June 12, about 30 seconds after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. All but one of the 242 people aboard were killed. The plane rammed into the dining hall of a medical college before exploding in flames. Altogether, more than 270 people were killed, including dozens on the ground, officials said. It was India's worst aviation disaster since 1996. The supply of fuel to the engine is controlled by two switches in the flight deck. Starting about 10 seconds after the fuel was cut off on Flight 171, the data recorder shows, the switches were moved to turn the fuel back on. But the plane could not gain power quickly enough to stop its descent. Each switch is equipped with a locking mechanism that is supposed to prevent accidental movement, experts said. To turn the fuel supply on, the switch must be pulled outward and then moved to a 'RUN' position, where it is released and settles back into a locked position. To turn the fuel supply off, the switch must be pulled outward again, moved to the 'CUTOFF' position, and then released again. According to the report, the fuel control switches were turned off 'one after another' about a second apart, and 'the aircraft started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall.' Safety experts said it appeared unlikely that the switches were moved without human involvement, whether intentional or accidental. The fuel switches have safeguards built around them to avoid any accidental switching off, said Shawn Pruchnicki, a former airline accident investigator and aviation expert at Ohio State University. 'For example, on the 787 and probably more airliners these days, the switches themselves — you can't shut them off without actually lifting them up,' he said. 'So there's a little mechanical gate built into the switch — you have to lift it over this little gate. So you can't just bump it.' The flight's captain was Sumeet Sabharwal, who had over 15,000 hours of flying experience, and 1st Officer Clive Kunder brought 3,400 hours of flying experience, Air India said. That is more experience than officials attributed to the pilots last month, when they estimated a combined experience of about 10,000 hours. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, and Boeing have been trying to determine what caused Flight 171 to crash. The cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder, usually referred to as the black boxes, were recovered from the debris. While there was initial concern that the devices might have been damaged in the extreme heat of the fire, investigating teams have downloaded information contained in the boxes for study. Video filmed by residents in nearby homes, as well as CCTV footage, show the plane struggling to gain lift immediately after taking off. A New York Times analysis of photos and videos suggested that the plane might have experienced a catastrophic loss of hydraulic, electrical, or engine power. It could take months, possibly years, to reach definitive conclusions. But as a signatory of the International Civil Aviation Organization, India was obliged to submit a preliminary investigative report within 30 days of the crash. In a statement on social media, Air India said it had received the preliminary report but could not comment on 'specific details' mentioned, given the active nature of the investigation.' It said it stood 'in solidarity with the families and those affected' by the crash. The crash brought scrutiny not only to Boeing but also to Air India, the country's oldest carrier, which was acquired by the Tata Group after half a century as a state-owned enterprise. The crash occurred just as Air India was trying to pitch itself as a modernizing carrier. The airline's last major crash was in 2020, when a passenger plane operated by Air India Express, a subsidiary, skidded and cracked in two on a rain-soaked runway, killing at least 17 people in the southern Indian state of Kerala. In 2010, an Air India Express plane overshot a hilltop runway in Mangalore, in the western state of Karnataka, killing more than 150 people. This article originally appeared in
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Air India Crash: US alert on fuel switch lock in earlier Boeing jets returns as mystery of total engine failure deepens
The Ministry of Civil Aviation released a preliminary report on Saturday probing last month's deadly Air India crash , shedding light on a little-known issue: the fuel control switch locking system . Though the cause of the crash has not been officially determined, experts say the role of the switches—and whether they could have accidentally shut off fuel—deserves closer scrutiny. Fuel Control Switches: What are they? by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They Are Unstoppable: The Most Beautiful and Talented Female Athletes Undo The fuel control switches are small levers in the cockpit that regulate fuel flow to the engines. In normal operations, these switches remain in the 'RUN' position to keep the engines powered. Moving a switch to 'CUTOFF' stops the fuel supply and shuts down the engine. Live Events According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) report, data showed that shortly after takeoff, both engine switches were briefly moved to 'CUTOFF'—one after the other with only a one-second gap. The cockpit voice recorder captured a tense exchange: 'Why did you cut off the fuel?' 'I didn't do so.' Seconds later, both switches were flipped back to 'RUN', but by then, the engines had already begun losing power. A history of warnings This issue is not entirely new. The report mentions that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB No. NM-18-33) in December 2018, warning operators that some fuel control switches on Boeing 737 aircraft had been installed with their locking feature disengaged. This locking feature is meant to prevent the switches from being moved out of the 'RUN' position unintentionally. While the bulletin did not cover the 787 specifically, the government report noted that the fuel control switch design and locking mechanism in the London-bound aircraft was the same as the flagged 737's. Moreover, according to the report, Air India confirmed to investigators that it never conducted the recommended inspections of the locking system because the FAA bulletin was advisory, and not mandatory. Experts weigh in An Aviation specialist interviewed by the BBC expressed concern that the locking feature issue may need further investigation. 'What does this exactly mean? Does it mean that with a single flip, that switch could shut the engine off and cut the fuel supply? When the locking feature is disengaged, what exactly happens? Could the switch just flip itself to off and shut down the engine? If that's the case, it's a really serious issue,' Shawn Pruchnicki, a former airline accident investigator and aviation expert at Ohio State University, told the BBC. Other experts were more cautious. 'I haven't heard of this, which appears to be a low-profile FAA issuance. Nor have I heard any complaints from pilots—who are usually quick to speak up. It's worth examining since it's mentioned, but it may just be a distraction,' Peter Goelz, former managing director of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told the news outlet. Replacements, but no defects According to maintenance records, the aircraft's throttle control module—the component that houses the switches—was replaced twice, once in 2019 and again in 2023. However, neither replacement was linked to any known defect in the fuel control switches. Since 2023, no faults with the switches had been reported on this 12-year-old aircraft. Broader investigation continues Investigators have not concluded that the fuel control switches alone caused the engines to lose power, but the episode has put a spotlight on cockpit ergonomics, maintenance practices, and oversight of non-mandatory safety bulletins. US aviation expert John Nance told Reuters,'No sane pilot would ever turn those switches off in flight,' stressing how unusual the recorded switch movement was. Meanwhile, a Canada-based air accidents investigator, speaking anonymously to the BBC, added,'It would be almost impossible to pull both switches with a single movement of one hand, and this makes accidental deployment unlikely.' A final report will be issued after a detailed analysis of flight data, cockpit voice recordings, and mechanical systems, and it might contain more information on whether this overlooked locking feature played any role in the tragedy.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Why cockpit audio deepens the mystery of Air India crash
Investigators have uncovered a chilling discovery in the preliminary investigation into the Air India Flight 171 crash which killed 260 people in June. Just seconds after takeoff, both the 12-year-old Boeing 787 Dreamliner's fuel-control switches abruptly moved to the "cut-off" position, starving the engines of fuel and triggering total power loss. Switching to "cut-off" is a move typically done only after landing. The cockpit voice recording captures one pilot asking the other why he "did the cut-off", to which the person replies that he didn't. The recording doesn't clarify who said what. At the time of takeoff, the co-pilot was flying the aircraft while the captain was monitoring. The switches were returned to their normal inflight position, triggering automatic engine relight. At the time of the crash, one engine was regaining thrust while the other had relit but had not yet recovered power. Air India Flight 171 was airborne for less than 40 seconds before crashing into a crowded neighbourhood in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, marking one of India's most baffling aviation disasters. Investigators are probing the wreckage and cockpit recorders to understand what went wrong just after takeoff. The Air India flight climbed to 625 feet in clear weather before losing location data 50 seconds in, per Flightradar24. Saturday's 15-page report offers early insights. The investigation - led by Indian authorities, with experts from Boeing, GE, Air India and Indian regulators, alongside participants from the US National Transportation Safety Board and the UK - also raises a number of questions. Investigators say the lever-lock fuel switches are designed to prevent accidental activation - they must be pulled up to unlock before flipping, a safety feature dating back to the 1950s. Built to exacting standards, they're highly reliable. Protective guard brackets further shield them from accidental bumps. "It would be almost impossible to pull both switches with a single movement of one hand, and this makes accidental deployment unlikely," a Canada-based air accidents investigator, who wanted to remain unnamed, told the BBC. That's what makes the Air India case stand out. Air India crash report live updates Fuel to engines cut off before Air India crash, preliminary report says Who are the victims of the Air India plane crash? "It does beg the question: why did the pilot, any pilot, actually push the switches to the off position," Shawn Pruchnicki, a former airline accident investigator and aviation expert at Ohio State University, said. "Was it intentional, or the result of confusion? That seems unlikely, as the pilots reported nothing unusual. In many cockpit emergencies, pilots may press the wrong buttons or make incorrect selections - but there was no indication of such a situation here, nor any discussion suggesting that the fuel switches were selected by mistake. This kind of error doesn't typically happen without some evident issue," he told the BBC. Peter Goelz, a former managing director of the US's NTSB, echoed a similar sentiment: "The finding is very disturbing - that a pilot has shut off the fuel switch within seconds of flying." "There's likely much more on the cockpit voice recorder than what's been shared. A lone remark like 'why did you cut off the switches' isn't enough," he said. "The new details suggest someone in the cockpit shut those valves. The question is, who, and why? Both switches were turned off and then restarted within seconds. The voice recorder will reveal more: was the flying pilot trying to restart the engines, or the monitoring one?" Investigators believe the cockpit voice recorder - with audio from pilot mics, radio calls and ambient cockpit sounds - holds the key to this puzzle. "They haven't identified the voices yet, which is crucial. Typically, when the voice recorder is reviewed, people familiar with the pilots are present to help match voices. As of now, we still don't know which pilot turned the switches off and back on," said Mr Goelz. In short, investigators say what's needed is clear voice identification, a full cockpit transcript with labelled speakers, and a thorough review of all communications from the moment the plane was pushed back from the gate to the time it crashed. They also say this underscores the need for cockpit video recorders, as recommended by the NTSB. An over-the-shoulder view would show whose hand was on the cut-off switch. Before boarding Flight 171, both pilots and crew passed breathalyser tests and were cleared fit to fly, the report says. The pilots, based in Mumbai, had arrived in Ahmedabad the day before the flight and had adequate rest. But investigators are also zeroing in on what they describe is an interesting point in the report. It says in December 2018, the US Federal Aviation Administration issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) highlighting that some Boeing 737 fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged. While the issue was noted, it wasn't deemed an unsafe condition requiring an Airworthiness Directive (AD) - a legally enforceable regulation to correct unsafe conditions in a product. The same switch design is used in Boeing 787-8 aircraft, including Air India's VT-ANB which crashed. As the SAIB was advisory, Air India did not perform the recommended inspections. Mr Pruchnicki said he's wondering whether there was a problem with the fuel control switches. "What does this [bit in the report] exactly mean? Does it mean that with a single flip, that switch could shut the engine off and cut the fuel supply? When the locking feature is disengaged, what exactly happens? Could the switch just flip itself to off and shut down the engine? If that's the case, it's a really serious issue. If not, that also needs to be explained," he said. Others, however, aren't convinced this is a key issue. "I haven't heard of this which appears to be a low-profile FAA issuance. Nor have I heard any complaints [about the fuel switches] from pilots - who are usually quick to speak up. It's worth examining since it's mentioned, but it may just be a distraction," said Mr Goelz. Capt Kishore Chinta, a former investigator with India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), wonders whether the switches tripped because of a problem with the plane's electronic control unit. "Can the fuel cut-off switches be triggered electronically by the plane's electronic control unit without movement by the pilot? If the fuel cut-off switches tripped electronically, then it's a cause for concern," he told the BBC. The report says fuel samples from the refuelling tanks were "satisfactory". Experts had earlier suggested fuel contamination as a possible cause of the dual engine failure. Notably, no advisory has been issued for the Boeing 787 or its GE GEnx-1B engines, with mechanical failure ruled out for now pending further investigation. It also said that the aircraft's Ram Air Turbine (RAT) had deployed - a clear sign of a major systems failure - and the landing gear was found in "down position" or not retracted. The RAT, a small propeller that extends from the underside of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, acts as an emergency backup generator. It automatically deploys in flight when both engines lose power or if all three hydraulic systems register critically low pressure, supplying limited power to keep essential flight systems operational. "The deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) strongly supports the conclusion that both engines had failed," Mr Pruchnicki said. A Boeing 787 pilot explained why he thought the landing gear was not retracted. "These days, every time I take off in a 787, I notice the landing gear retraction process closely. By the time the gear handle is pulled, we're already at about 200ft (60.9m), and the entire gear retraction process completes by around 400ft - roughly eight seconds in total, thanks to the aircraft's high-pressure hydraulic system." The pilot believes the one flying had no time to think. "When both engines fail and the aircraft starts going down, the reaction goes beyond just being startled - you go numb. In that moment, landing gear isn't your focus. Your mind is on one thing: the flight path. Where can I put this aircraft down safely? And in this case, there simply wasn't enough altitude to work with." Investigators say the crew tried to recover, but it happened too fast. "The engines were switched off and then back on. The pilots realised the engines were losing thrust - likely restarting the left one first, followed by the right," said Mr Pruchnicki. "But the right engine didn't have enough time to spool back up, and the thrust was insufficient. Both were eventually set to "run", but with the left shut down first and the right too late to recover, it was simply too little, too late."
