Preliminary AAIB report on Air India crash points to simultaneous engine shutdown

New Delhi, July 12. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its preliminary findings into the crash of Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which went down shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, killing nearly all on board. While a final report may take up to a year, early observations point to a near-simultaneous shutdown of both engines seconds after take-off.

According to the AAIB, the aircraft had arrived from Delhi earlier that day and was scheduled to operate the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick route. The maintenance team addressed a previously reported “STAB POS XDCR” fault, and the plane was cleared for flight at 6:40 am UTC.

The flight crew included a senior pilot with an ATPL and a co-pilot holding a CPL, along with 10 cabin crew. Both pilots were based in Mumbai, had sufficient rest, and passed mandatory preflight breath tests. The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers, including two infants.

The Dreamliner lifted off from Ahmedabad at 1:38 pm IST. Just four seconds later, both engines began shutting down, with cockpit voice recordings capturing one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?”—to which the other replied he had not. The plane reached a maximum speed of 180 knots before the engine fuel switches were abruptly set from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within a second of each other, leading to a rapid drop in engine thrust.

CCTV footage confirmed the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) during initial climb, but no bird activity or foreign object interference was detected. Engine 1 showed signs of partial restart, but Engine 2 failed despite repeated fuel attempts. A “Mayday” call was issued at 1:39 pm IST before the aircraft crashed, unable to maintain altitude.

The aircraft had a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate until May 2026, and both engines had been newly installed earlier this year. The report noted that a 2018 FAA advisory had warned of potential disengagement of the fuel control switch lock, but Air India did not act on it as it was non-mandatory.

Air India has acknowledged the AAIB’s initial report and reiterated its support for the victims’ families, saying it continues to cooperate fully with investigators. Boeing, too, issued a statement offering condolences and deferring further comment to the AAIB under international aviation protocols.

For now, the AAIB has not recommended changes to the Boeing 787-8 or its GE GEnx-1B engines. The wreckage and engines have been secured for detailed examination as the probe continues.