Probe into Air India Crash Focuses on Cockpit Fuel Switches
The preliminary investigation into the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives, is now centered on the aircraft's engine fuel control switches. An early analysis of the Boeing 787's flight data recorders suggests that an improper movement of these critical switches may have led to the disaster.
The London-bound flight, AI 171, crashed into a medical college hostel just seconds after takeoff on June 12. The incident resulted in the deaths of all 241 passengers and crew on board, as well as 19 people on the ground.
The Role of Fuel Control Switches
In a Boeing 787, the engine fuel control switches are used to start or shut down the engines. Located in the cockpit, they are protected by brackets and a metal lock mechanism to prevent them from being moved by mistake. Moving a switch from the "RUN" to "CUTOFF" position during flight would immediately stop the fuel supply to that engine, causing it to shut down and lose thrust.
While the aircraft's advanced systems are designed to automatically compensate for a loss of thrust from one engine, the sudden shutdown would have significant consequences.
An Unlikely Accident?
According to aviation safety experts, the design of the switches makes it highly unlikely that a pilot could move them accidentally. The black box data, as reported by the aviation publication Air Current, does not yet confirm whether the switches were moved by mistake, intentionally, or due to another issue.
The official investigation is being led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with technical support from the Indian Air Force, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Investigation Continues
The investigation team has successfully downloaded the data from the aircraft's black boxes and submitted a preliminary report to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. So far, the probe has not raised immediate concerns about a widespread mechanical failure across the Boeing 787 fleet, and no safety bulletin has been issued to airlines.
The crash has also prompted a parliamentary panel to launch a broader review of safety in the civil aviation sector. Meanwhile, the official investigation continues, as experts work to analyze all available data to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the tragedy.
