A month after the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its preliminary report, unveiling chilling details and cockpit conversations that occurred moments before the disaster. The Air India flight AI 171, en route from Ahmedabad to London on June 12, 2025, crashed just seconds after takeoff, resulting in 270 fatalities, making it one of the deadliest aviation tragedies in recent Indian history.
The Timeline Before the Crash
The report meticulously reconstructs the second-by-second timeline leading up to the crash. At 13:38:39 IST, the aircraft lifted off the runway, achieving a speed of 180 knots just three seconds later. Shockingly, within seconds, both engines experienced fuel cutoff, leading to an immediate power loss during a critical phase of the flight.
The preliminary report confirms that Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF positions within a one-second gap, effectively halting fuel supply to both engines. This mechanical sequence caused the engines’ N1 and N2 speeds to drop, making the aircraft unable to sustain lift.
The Shocking Cockpit Exchange
The AAIB report reveals a chilling exchange between the pilots captured on the cockpit voice recorder. Moments after the engines failed, one pilot was heard asking the other,
“Did you shut off the fuel switch?”
To which the other pilot responded,
“I didn’t.”
This brief yet critical exchange raises alarming concerns about a possible accidental switch movement, technical malfunction, or system anomaly that led to the catastrophic engine shutdown.
The Moment of Mayday
Despite efforts to regain engine thrust, only Engine 1 showed signs of recovery, while Engine 2 remained unresponsive. At 13:39:05 IST, the captain issued a “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” call, indicating the aircraft’s critical emergency state. Tragically, just seconds later, data recording ceased as the aircraft crashed into a medical hostel building near the airport, leaving behind a trail of devastation and unanswered questions.
Survivors and Rescue Efforts
Among 271 individuals on board, only one passenger survived, while 29 medical students and numerous others lost their lives in the crash. Rescue teams reached the site within minutes, but the intensity of the crash and subsequent fire complicated immediate rescue operations.
Questions That Need Answers
The AAIB’s preliminary findings indicate that timely thrust restoration could have potentially averted the crash, raising critical concerns about cockpit procedures, possible system failures, and fuel switch mechanisms. The final report is expected to investigate whether pilot error, mechanical malfunction, or a combination of factors led to the fatal incident.
A Wake-Up Call for Aviation Safety
This tragic Air India crash underscores the urgent need for stringent safety checks, pilot training on emergency protocols, and deeper system audits to prevent such incidents in the future. The aviation industry will closely watch the final AAIB findings, which may influence policy changes and safety checks across Indian aviation.
The heartbreaking loss of lives in the Air India Ahmedabad crash serves as a stark reminder that every second counts in aviation safety, and even a minor technical or procedural lapse can lead to irreversible consequences.