One Mayday alert, focus on fuel control switches: What is known so far about Air India crash

The investigation into the Air India crash is also looking into the movement of fuel control switches that sit in the center console of the cockpit.

Updated on: Jul 11, 2025, 22:36:52 IST

By Majid Alam

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A month after one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, the preliminary report is expected on the Air India plane crash ‘very soon’, which killed 250 people in Ahmedabad on June 12.

Tail of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane that crashed is seen stuck on a building after the incident in Ahmedabad. (REUTERS )

The report, set to be released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), comes a month after the crash and is expected to offer the first official clues to what caused the aircraft to lose thrust just 30 seconds after taking off.

Senior officials of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) told a parliamentary panel this week that the preliminary report on the London-bound plane crash will be put in public domain in the next few days.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu also on Friday said the report is will be out "very soon".

Also Read: Air India crash report today may reveal what led to death of 260

The Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly into a medical hostel complex shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing all but one passenger on the ill-fated aircraft.

Here’s what has emerged so far from the tragic crash:

⦁ The AAIB, which is conducting the probe into the crash, is being led by DG AAIB and has aviation experts, including an aviation medicine specialist, an ATC officer, and representatives from National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

⦁ The AAIB officials had said that the preliminary report on the crash would be made public within 30 days of the tragic accident. However, there is not much clarity on how much information would be available in the report.

⦁ The investigators have revealed very few details since the crash, and the preliminary report is expected to be very basic and factual.

Also Read: Air India crash: Preliminary report likely to be released today, may provide clarity on the cause

⦁ This is also the first time that the black box of a crashed plane is being investigated in India. Several aviation agencies, including foreign experts, have been roped in the investigation.

⦁ The cockpit voice and the flight data recorders have been retrieved from the black box, and their content has been extracted and is being probed by the authorities. The Air India pilot reportedly issued one mayday alert before the aircraft crashed.

⦁ Bloomberg, quoting officials aware of the matter, said that the investigation is also looking into the movement of fuel control switches that sit in the center console of the cockpit. It is unclear whether the pilots toggled the switches, either inadvertently or intentionally.

⦁ The investigators haven't found any evidence that would suggest the crash was caused by a design or mechanical problem with the Boeing aircraft or the GE engines, the report added.

⦁ Several videos have surfaced online showing a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed on the Air India flight. It is widely being believed that RAT was deployed, suggesting a dual engine failure.

⦁ However, experts have said that restarting the engines at such low altitude and speed just seconds after takeoff wasn’t feasible.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Majid Alam
Majid Alam is a Chief Content Producer working at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi. He currently heads shifts at online desk and manages homepage apart from writing, editing and curating articles. With over six years of experience in journalism, Majid has navigated national, politics and international news. His work primarily focuses on the politics of the Hindi heartland, government policies, and South Asia. He also writes on US and Europe’s policies vis-à-vis India. Before joining Hindustan Times, Majid worked at ABP LIVE as the Chief Copy Editor and at News18, where he managed the World and Explainers sections. His articles have featured in Dialogue Earth, The Quint, BMJ, The Diplomat, and Outlook India. Majid has a keen interest in the use of data for storytelling. Majid holds a Masters in Convergent Journalism from Jamia Millia Islamia. He was awarded the Erasmus+ scholarship to study International Affairs at Sciences Po, Paris in 2020. He is also part of the OCEANS Network, an alumni network of Erasmus+ exchange scholars. He is currently serving as the National Representative (India) at the OCEANS Network. Apart from journalism, Majid has a flair for academic writing and loves to teach. He has published a book chapter: 'Bombay Cinema and Postmodernism' in the book: 'Handbook of Research on Social and Cultural Dynamics in Indian Cinema.' He was also part of the OCEANS Network delegation to Hanoi National University of Education in Vietnam in 2025. He has also given guest lecture in digital journalism at AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia.Read More

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