The crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 last month in Ahmedabad, India, which killed 260 people, is taking a tragic and mysterious turn. A cockpit voice recording now analyzed suggests that the captain may have cut the fuel supply to the engines shortly after takeoff, the Wall Street Journal reported on July 16, 2025, citing sources familiar with the preliminary U.S. investigation.
The incident that occurred on June 12, 2025, when Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed into a residential area, raises serious questions about the exact sequence of events in the cockpit and reignites a long-standing debate about the need for cockpit video recorders on commercial aircraft.
The tragic accident and the first findings
On June 12, 2025, an air disaster occurred that gripped the world. An Air India Boeing 787-8, operating as Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad (AMD) to London Gatwick (LGW), crashed into a residential area less than a mile from the runway. The consequences were devastating: Of the 242 people on board, only one survived, and another 19 people died on the ground, bringing the total death toll to 260. The circumstances of the crash—the loss of power to both engines shortly after takeoff—pointed from the outset to a critical incident early in the flight.
On July 12, 2025, India's aviation authority, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), published initial preliminary findings that play a key role in clarifying the accident. The AAIB report confirmed that the fuel switches on both engines were switched from the "RUN" to "CUTOFF" position within one second of each other during the initial climb. This finding suggested manual intervention, but the report did not directly attribute blame to any specific crew member at that time. The exact cause of this switch was therefore subject to further investigation and speculation.
Investigating such accidents is a complex process that involves analyzing numerous data sources, including flight recorders, voice recorders, wreckage, and witness statements. The goal is to reconstruct the chain of events that led to the accident and draw lessons for future aviation safety.
Explosive details from the cockpit voice recorder
The Wall Street Journal's publication of details from the cockpit voice recording, citing sources familiar with the preliminary US investigation, adds a new dimension to the investigation into the crash. According to the report, the first officer flying the aircraft at the time asked the captain shortly after takeoff why he had moved the fuel control switches to the "cutoff" position. The captain reportedly replied that he had not.
This recorded cockpit exchange is consistent with preliminary findings previously released by the AAIB, which confirmed the fuel switches had been switched. The discrepancy between the first officer's question and the captain's response is particularly troubling and raises questions about the crew's precise actions and awareness at the crucial moments. The fact that the first officer would likely have been too preoccupied with controlling the aircraft to manually cut off the fuel supply at this critical point in the flight—takeoff and initial climb—suggests that the action may have been initiated by the captain, the WSJ sources further stated.
The captain of the crashed flight, 56 years old, had extensive flight experience of over 15.600 hours, including 8.500 hours on the Boeing 787. The first officer, 32 years old, had a total of 3.400 hours of flight time. These data provide insight into the crew's experience but do not rule out human error or unexpected reactions in stressful situations.
Desperate attempts at recovery and the crash
Flight data from the ill-fated flight paints a picture of the crew's desperate attempts to regain control of the aircraft. According to the data, the fuel switches were reset to "RUN" within 10 seconds of their initial setting to "CUTOFF." This triggered the Boeing 787's automatic restart logic. One engine then briefly showed signs of recovery, indicating it was beginning to resume operation. However, by this time, the aircraft had already lost significant speed and entered an unsalvageable condition.
As a result of the rapid loss of engine power, the aircraft's hydraulic and electrical power supplies failed. During this critical phase, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) The RAT is a small turbine that extends from the aircraft's fuselage in an emergency, generating wind energy to power vital systems such as the hydraulics and electrical systems. CCTV footage showed the RAT deploying almost immediately after takeoff, a clear sign of the rapid and complete loss of engine power.
The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of approximately 650 feet (about 200 meters) before beginning to descend and eventually striking several buildings near the BJ Medical College. The crash into a densely populated residential area explains the high number of casualties on the ground and makes the accident all the more tragic.
Ongoing investigation and the debate about cockpit video recorders
The investigation into the Air India crash is ongoing. Air India CEO, Campbell Wilson, stated in an internal memo that the preliminary report identified no mechanical or maintenance-related failures. This places the investigation's focus more firmly on human action or unexplained circumstances in the cockpit. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has not yet made any safety recommendations, and regulators in the US and Europe have reaffirmed their confidence in Boeing's fuel switch interlock mechanisms. A final report from the investigation is expected within 12 months.
However, the tragic crash has reignited an old debate: the need to install Cockpit video recorders in commercial aircraft. Investigators have emphasized that such recordings could have clarified the crew's actions during the final seconds of Flight AI171. While voice recorders capture audio recordings of the cockpit, video recorders provide visual information that can be invaluable in reconstructing events and identifying actions.
The introduction of cockpit video recorders has been controversial in the past for various reasons, including concerns about pilot privacy. However, proponents argue that the improvement in flight safety and the rapid and accurate investigation of accidents outweigh these concerns. The case of Flight AI171 could give new impetus to the debate and potentially lead to a change in international regulations. Transparent investigation of aviation accidents is crucial to maintaining trust in aviation and preventing future disasters.
The crash of the Air India Boeing 787-8 in Ahmedabad is developing into a highly complex case, with evidence of a manual fuel cut-off in the cockpit playing a central role. The preliminary findings from the voice recording and the discrepancy between the pilots' statements raise serious questions about the exact cause of the accident.
While the official investigation is still ongoing, the incident has already reignited an important debate about installing cockpit video recorders on commercial aircraft, the recordings of which could significantly facilitate the investigation. The aviation industry and the public eagerly await the final report, which will hopefully shed light on the tragic events of June 12, 2025, and provide important lessons for future aviation safety.