Following the release of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad, the airline has formally acknowledged receipt of the document. In a public statement posted on X, Air India reaffirmed its commitment to fully cooperating with the AAIB and other authorities.
“We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time. Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators,” the airline said, while declining to comment on specific findings due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Flight AI171: A tragic sequence within 90 seconds
The crash of the London-bound Boeing 787-8 occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, claiming the lives of all 241 people onboard- 229 passengers and 12 crew members- along with 19 individuals on the ground.
According to the AAIB’s 15-page preliminary report, a catastrophic series of events unfolded within 90 seconds of liftoff. Both engines shut down unexpectedly during the aircraft's initial climb, resulting in a rapid descent and eventual impact.
Inadvertent engine shutdown led to loss of thrust
Flight data from the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) revealed that the fuel control switches for both engines were unintentionally moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” in quick succession, just one second apart. This occurred moments after takeoff.
A cockpit voice recording captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” to which the other responded, “I did not.” This accidental shutdown led to the deployment of the aircraft’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT) as thrust was lost and the aircraft began an immediate descent.
Attempts to restart engines failed to prevent crash
The pilots attempted to re-engage the fuel switches to restart the engines. While Engine 1 showed brief signs of regaining power, Engine 2 did not stabilise. Despite reaching a speed of 180 knots, the aircraft continued losing altitude.
At 08:09 UTC, one of the pilots issued a "MAYDAY" distress call. The Air Traffic Controller received no further communication. Seconds later, the aircraft crashed into a residential area just beyond the airport boundary.
AAIB 15-page report summary in a nutshell:
- The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members- 15 in business class and 215 in economy, including two infants.
- It had 54,200 kg of fuel onboard, and its take-off weight of 2,13,401 kg was within permissible safety limits.
- No dangerous goods were loaded on the aircraft.
- The aircraft lifted off at 08:08:39 UTC (13:08:39 IST); engine fuel control switches were turned off one second apart and re-engaged later.
- At 08:09:05 UTC (13:09:05 IST), a 'MAYDAY' distress call was transmitted by one of the pilots. The ATC asked for confirmation but received no reply, observing the aircraft crash just outside the airport boundary.
- Wreckage recovery operations, including drone-based documentation, were completed, and debris was moved to a secured zone near the airport.
- Both engines were recovered and secured in a hangar for further analysis.
- Fuel samples from aircraft refueling sources were tested by DGCA and found to meet quality standards.
- No immediate safety recommendations have been issued for B787-8 aircraft or GE GEnx-1B engines.
- Investigators are continuing to collect more information and follow leads from the preliminary findings.
- Further examination of evidence and additional stakeholder inputs are underway as part of the ongoing probe.
Final report expected in coming months
The AAIB has stated that further evidence is being collected and analysed, and the final report is expected to be released in the coming months. The crash of flight AI171 marks one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India’s recent history.
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