A Catastrophe in 30 Seconds
On June 12, 2025, at 1:39 PM IST, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, bound for London Gatwick. Carrying 242 passengers and crew, the flight was set for a routine long-haul journey. But within 30 seconds, the aircraft issued a desperate mayday call, lost altitude, and crashed into the densely populated Meghani Nagar area, striking a doctors’ hostel at B.J. Medical College. The impact triggered explosions, fueled by nearly 100 tonnes of jet fuel, killing 241 onboard and 19 on the ground. Only one passenger, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, miraculously survived. The tragedy, the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787, sent shockwaves through India and the global aviation community, raising urgent questions about what went wrong.
The Investigation: A Focus on Fuel Switches
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India, in collaboration with experts from Boeing, GE Aerospace, and the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, swiftly recovered the flight’s black boxes—both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. The preliminary report, released on July 11, 2025, revealed a chilling detail: seconds after takeoff, both engine fuel control switches moved from the “RUN” to “CUTOFF” position, starving the General Electric GEnx-1B engines of fuel and causing a catastrophic loss of thrust. The report noted a cockpit voice recording where one pilot, likely Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, asked First Officer Clive Kunder, “Why did you do the cut-off?”—suggesting possible confusion or error in the cockpit.
The Boeing 787’s fuel control switches, located on the throttle quadrant, are critical for engine operation. Moving them to CUTOFF halts fuel flow, shutting down the engines—an action typically performed only on the ground or during specific emergency procedures, such as a single-engine failure at a safe altitude. At just 650 feet, AI171 was far too low for such a maneuver. Aviation experts interviewed by NDTV suggested that even in a dual-engine flame-out scenario, pilots are trained to toggle switches briefly to attempt a restart, but only above 400 feet and with strict procedures. The low altitude and rapid sequence of events made this unlikely, pointing to a possible human error or miscommunication.
The Crew: Experienced but Overwhelmed?
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, was a seasoned pilot with 15,638 flight hours, including 8,596 on the 787. First Officer Clive Kunder, 32, had 3,403 hours, with 1,128 on the Dreamliner. Both were rested, had passed pre-flight breathalyzer tests, and were observed on CCTV at the gate, appearing normal. Kunder was the pilot flying, while Sabharwal monitored. The cockpit voice recorder indicates no prior warning of mechanical issues, and the aircraft, an 11-year-old 787 registered as VT-ANB, had a clean maintenance history, with no signs of fuel contamination or mechanical failure in post-crash analyses.
Yet, the sudden movement of both fuel switches remains perplexing. Some experts speculate that Kunder, under the stress of a perceived engine issue, may have inadvertently shut off the wrong engine or both, mistaking the procedure for a single-engine failure. Others argue that the 787’s advanced automation and warning systems, including the Takeoff Configuration Warning System, should have alerted the crew to any misconfiguration, such as improper flap settings—a theory initially raised but later dismissed by investigators. The absence of a multi-operator message from Boeing or GE suggests no systemic issue with the 787 fleet, narrowing the focus to this specific flight.
The Human Toll: Grief and Anger
The crash’s devastation extended beyond the aircraft. The hostel at B.J. Medical College, housing doctors and students, was obliterated, with 19 ground fatalities and 67 injuries. Families of victims, like Shweta Parihar, whose husband Abhinav died, expressed profound grief and distrust in Air India. “We trusted the airline. What’s the point of the investigation now?” she told the BBC, her 11-year-old son haunted by questions about his father’s suffering. The sole survivor, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, recounted unbuckling his seatbelt and escaping through a broken section of the fuselage, a “miracle” amid the chaos.
Tata Sons, Air India’s parent company, established the AI-171 Trust to provide long-term support, including ₹1 crore (approximately $116,000) per victim’s family and medical coverage for the injured. Chairman N. Chandrasekaran called the crash the “most heartbreaking crisis” of his career, urging staff to use it as a catalyst for safety improvements. However, public sentiment on platforms like X reflected frustration, with some alleging a cover-up or lax maintenance, though no evidence supports these claims.
Emergency Response and Aftermath
The response was swift but overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster. Over 300 firefighters, 60 fire vehicles, and 20 ambulances were deployed, with teams from Vadodara, Gandhinagar, and ONGC assisting. The Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services, alerted at 1:45 PM, faced a massive blaze fueled by the jet’s heavy load. Roads were closed, and a green corridor facilitated hospital transfers. DNA matching was required to identify many victims, delaying closure for families.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered enhanced inspections of Air India’s 33 Boeing 787s, focusing on fuel systems, cabin air compressors, and engine controls. By July 12, 26 aircraft were cleared, with no major issues found. Air India also retired flight numbers AI171 and AI172, reassigning the route as AI159 and AI160. Limited flight operations resumed at Ahmedabad airport, supported by Vande Bharat trains for stranded passengers.
Theories and Speculation
Initial theories included bird strikes, a known issue at Ahmedabad airport, which reported 462 incidents over five years. However, no evidence of bird strikes was found. Flap misconfiguration, suggested by some X posts, was also ruled out, as the 787’s warning systems would have alerted the crew. A catastrophic electrical failure was proposed but lacked supporting data. The focus remains on the fuel switch error, though whether it was intentional, accidental, or triggered by a misinterpreted cockpit indication is unclear. The AAIB’s final report, expected within months, will provide further clarity.
A Wake-Up Call for Aviation Safety
The AI171 crash, India’s deadliest since 1996, has reignited debates about aviation safety. While the Boeing 787 has an exemplary record, with over 1,100 in service globally, this incident underscores the human factor in even the most advanced aircraft. Air India’s aging fleet and past maintenance criticisms, though not directly implicated, have fueled public skepticism. The tragedy also highlights the need for rigorous pilot training and clear cockpit communication, especially under pressure.
As families grieve and investigators piece together the final moments of AI171, the aviation industry faces a sobering reminder: even a single error, in a mere 30 seconds, can alter countless lives. The quest for answers continues, not just for closure but to ensure such a disaster never repeats.
Last Updated on Thursday, July 17, 2025 11:43 am by Munnuru Sai Karthik
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