Bystanders in Ahmedabad, India, watched in disbelief as the smoldering debris of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner lay sprawled across the rooftop of a building following a catastrophic crash on June 12. A preliminary report released early Saturday by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has unveiled shocking insights into what led to the tragic event. Investigators revealed that both engines failed when the fuel control switches were inexplicably shifted from the “RUN” to “CUTOFF” position just moments before impact, halting fuel flow and triggering a sudden, total loss of engine thrust shortly after takeoff.
The ill-fated aircraft was carrying a total of 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The flight had barely left the ground before it plunged, staying airborne for only about half a minute. The crash resulted in the deaths of at least 260 individuals, including 19 people who were on the ground at the time of the impact. Of the 242 onboard, only one person survived, making it one of the most severe aviation disasters in India’s history. The victims included 169 Indian citizens, 53 from the UK, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian.
According to the AAIB report, the fuel cutoff switches for both engines were turned off within a one-second interval, right after the aircraft reached its maximum recorded speed. It remains unclear whether the switch movement was due to human error or a technical failure. Although the flight crew attempted to switch the controls back to “RUN,” it was too late to restart the engines or arrest the aircraft’s deadly descent. A desperate call of “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY” was captured on the cockpit voice recorder, reflecting the panic that gripped the crew during those final seconds.
Further analysis of the cockpit recordings revealed a troubling exchange between the pilots. One was heard asking the other why the fuel had been cut off, while the second pilot denied doing so, indicating serious confusion and a lack of coordination in the cockpit during the emergency. This points to a potentially critical communication failure between the flight crew during a high-stress situation.
Despite the devastating outcome, the AAIB’s initial findings did not attribute fault to Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, nor did the report suggest immediate corrective measures targeting the company. In response, Air India released its first official statement, pledging full cooperation with the investigation. The airline stated it is working alongside relevant authorities and regulators to support the ongoing inquiry.
Authorities managed to retrieve the plane’s black boxes—the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder—shortly after the crash. These vital tools were analyzed locally in India to reconstruct the aircraft’s final moments. Following the preliminary report, Indian aviation authorities ordered thorough safety inspections across Air India’s fleet of 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliners to help prevent a repeat of such a tragic incident in the future.