A preliminary investigation into the Air India Flight 171 crash near Ahmedabad has revealed that both engines shut down just seconds after takeoff. According to the report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the fuel control switches were moved to “CUTOFF” mode, stopping fuel supply and cutting engine power mid-air.
The incident happened too quickly for the pilots to recover. Although they switched the fuel back on within 10 seconds, the aircraft had already lost altitude and crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff. Voice recordings suggest confusion in the cockpit, with one pilot asking the other why the fuel was cut.
The crash claimed 241 lives, with only one survivor. Investigators have ruled out bird hits and are now focusing on how the fuel switches were turned off. Further analysis is ongoing.