Ambiguous AI crash report did what it shouldn’t — leave much to imagination

The preliminary report on the AI-171 crash raises more questions than answers, revealing fuel cutoff issues but lacking clarity on pilot actions and causes.

As the hour struck midnight on Friday, July 12 —just in time to meet the globally prescribed deadline—the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released a loosely worded and unsigned preliminary report examining the AI-171 crash of June 12 that killed 260 people, including 12 crew members. Social media and the internet exploded with further speculation, with many arguing the much-awaited report invited more questions than answers. Now, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that the captain cut off fuel supply to

A firefighter stands next to the crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, in Ahmedabad, India, on June 13, 2025. (REUTERS/file photo)