Air India AI171 Crash: 'Why Did You Cut Off Fuel?' - Pilots' Chilling Exchange Revealed In AAIB Preliminary Report

The preliminary AAIB report on the Air India AI171 crash revealed a chilling cockpit exchange: "Why did you cut off fuel?" as both engines' fuel switches inexplicably moved to 'Cutoff' before the fatal crash in Ahmedabad.

Efforts underway to remove the wreckage of the ill-fated Air India flight 171 that crashed and fell on the hostel mess of BJ Medical College (Photo: IANS)

A disturbing conversation between the two pilots of Air India flight AI171, just before its tragic crash on June 12, has emerged in the preliminary report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The cockpit voice recording showed a key exchange as both engines suddenly lost power.

The 15-page report notes that at 13:38:42 IST (08:08:42 UTC), as the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner reached its top takeoff speed of 180 knots indicated airspeed, both engine fuel cutoff switches moved from 'Run' to 'Cutoff'. Shortly after, one pilot asked, "Why did you cut off fuel?" The other replied, "I did not do so."

The doomed flight AI171 was heading to London Gatwick when it crashed into the hostel complex of B J Medical College shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport. The accident resulted in 260 deaths, which included 241 passengers and crew on board and 19 on the ground, making it one of India's worst aviation disasters in years. Only one passenger survived the crash.

The preliminary #AAIBreport on the #AirIndiaAI171 crash revealed a chilling cockpit exchange: "Why did you cut off fuel?" as both engines' fuel switches inexplicably moved to 'Cutoff' before the fatal crash.#AhmedabadPlaneCrash

READ FULL REPORT HERE: https://t.co/5JOJvw0qNi

— Nomadic Nitin (@Niitz1) July 12, 2025

The pilots were Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, who had over 15,600 flying hours (more than 8,500 on the Boeing 787), and First Officer Clive Kunder, 32, with over 3,400 flying hours. Both were fully licensed and qualified for the aircraft.

The AAIB report outlines a quick series of events:

Ten seconds after the initial cutoff, at 13:38:52 IST, Engine 1's switch was returned to 'Run'.

Four seconds later, at 13:38:56 IST, Engine 2's switch also went back to 'Run'.

The Engine and Aircraft Flight Recorder (EAFR) showed a rise in Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) for both engines, suggesting attempts to reignite.

While Engine 1's core slowing stopped and began to recover, Engine 2 did not stabilise despite several attempts to reintroduce fuel. Both engines' N2 values (core rotor speed) had dropped below the minimum idle level.

Investigators confirmed they recovered both engines from the crash site and secured them for further analysis. Drone mapping of the wreckage site has been completed, and debris has been moved to a safe location. The rear section of the EAFR was found significantly damaged, preventing a standard data download.

At this early stage, the AAIB has not made any safety recommendations for Boeing 787-8 aircraft or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers. The report states that more evidence is being sought from various parties.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation had previously issued a status report on the crash on June 26. A final AAIB report will follow a more in-depth analysis of all collected evidence.