Ahmedabad, July 12, 2025 – A devastating air tragedy unfolded in Ahmedabad on June 12, when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff, killing at least 260 people, including 19 on the ground. The preliminary investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), released Friday, points to a sudden and unexplained fuel cutoff to both engines as the immediate cause.
According to the AAIB report, just three seconds after the aircraft became airborne, the fuel control switches of both engines transitioned from “RUN” to “CUTOFF”, one after the other with a one-second gap—effectively cutting off fuel supply and shutting down both engines mid-air.
Timeline of Final Moments
1:37:37 PM – The aircraft begins its takeoff roll.
1:38:39 PM – The Boeing 787 becomes airborne.
1:38:42 PM – Both engine fuel switches move to CUTOFF, stopping fuel flow.
1:38:47 PM – The aircraft deploys its Ram Air Turbine (emergency backup power).
1:39:05 PM – A distress call is made: “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.”
1:39:11 PM – Cockpit voice recorder stops.
1:44:44 PM – Fire and rescue teams are dispatched from the airport.
One of the most chilling revelations in the report is an exchange captured in the cockpit recorder, where a pilot asks the other, “Why did you cut off the fuel?” The co-pilot reportedly replies, “I didn’t.”
This exchange suggests that the transition to cutoff may not have been manually initiated, but possibly due to a technical malfunction or system error. Investigators are currently examining this as a critical area of focus.
Wider Impact and Ongoing Investigations
The crash is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in India’s recent history. Emergency crews responded swiftly, but the impact left little room for survival. Among the deceased were not just passengers and crew, but also innocent civilians on the ground.
Authorities have recovered both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR). Analysis is ongoing to determine what led to the abrupt transition of the fuel switches.
Aviation experts say such a simultaneous cutoff in both engines is highly unusual, and could indicate a software issue, electronic interference, or fault in the aircraft’s automation systems.
Air India and Boeing Respond
Air India has expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and pledged full cooperation with the investigation. Boeing has also released a statement, saying it is “working closely with Indian authorities” and has grounded the affected batch of aircraft pending further technical inspection.
