In one of the worst air disasters in Indian aviation history, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff, killing 241 passengers and crew and 19 on the ground.
The chilling revelation: Both engines were shut down mid-air — due to fuel being cut off.
🔥 What Happened?
Flight 171 took off from Ahmedabad airport at 1:39 PM on June 12, bound for London.
Within moments, fuel control switches for both engines were moved to CUTOFF, cutting power completely.
The aircraft plunged into a medical hostel, triggering a fireball that killed 19 people on the ground.
Only one person survived — a British-Indian seated in Row 11A.
🛬 “Why Did You Cut Off?” — Shocking Cockpit Audio
Cockpit voice recordings reveal a tense exchange:> “Why did you cut off?”“I didn’t.”
Neither Captain Sumeet Sabharwal nor First Officer Clive Kunder admitted responsibility — fueling speculation of a grave miscommunication or cockpit error.
⚙️ Theories Under Investigation:
1. Human Error:Did a pilot accidentally move both guarded switches? Unlikely, say experts.
2. Mechanical Failure:Could the system have triggered cutoff on its own?
3. Sabotage or External Factors:No signs of bird strike, external damage, or weather-related interference.
🧠 What Experts Say:
“No sane pilot touches those switches mid-air. They’re protected by guard rails and require force to operate.”— Captain Saurabh Bhatnagar, ex-Air India Express
📉 Engine Recovery Came Too Late
Engine 1 began recovering after reactivation.
Engine 2 failed to regain power.RAT (Ram Air Turbine) deployed automatically but couldn’t save the aircraft.
By the time partial thrust returned, it was too late to climb.
🕵️♂️ Focus Now: The Black Box & The SwitchesBoth black boxes were recovered and decoded with help from U.S. NTSB.
Key question: Who (or what) moved those switches?
Why It Matters:
This is the first fatal Boeing 787 crash since its debut in 2011.
Raises global questions on cockpit procedures, training, and aircraft design safety.
Investigators say “No conclusive cause yet”, but human action is under the scanner.
👉 Stay tuned with @1PercentUSA for real-time updates on this developing story.
