- By Chetna Shree
- Fri, 11 Jul 2025 03:57 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Ahmedabad Plane Crash: The preliminary probe report of the tragic Air India plane crash, which left everyone shocked and waiting for answers, is expected to be released today. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick crashed into a residential area near the Ahmedabad airport minutes after taking off on June 12. The AI-171 plane crash claimed the lives of 260 people, including 241 on board the ill-fated plane. Only one person survived the deadly crash.
Amid questions over what led to the deadly plane crash, a preliminary probe report is expected to be released today, which is expected to provide key insights into the possible reasons behind the crash, which has been dubbed as one of the most brutal plane accidents in nearly two decades. The probe by the Aircraft Accident Information Bureau (AAIB) is expected to mainly focus on the plane’s fuel control switches and engine thrust issues.
Fuel Control Switches Behind Air India Plane Crash?
Since the Air India plane AI-171 crashed, it is largely assumed that engine failure was the reason behind the crash. However, the investigators are reportedly shifting their focus to the movement of fuel control switches placed at the centre console of the cockpit.
The engines of the Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner aircraft were made by GE Aerospace, and the fuel control switches were there to turn them on and off. Initial findings revealed that the Air India flight was full of fuel when it took off from the airport. However, nothing is clear yet on what caused the plane to lose altitude and crash into a building.
Aviation expert John Cox, as quoted by Reuters, said, "It is not very likely for a pilot to bump the switch accidentally. You can't bump them, and they move. If you move those switches from run to cutoff, those engines will stop running in literally seconds."
He also painted a scenario where one engine failed for some reason, and the pilot went to flip the switch for the engine and accidentally turned off the switch of the other engine, cutting off the fuel supply to the engine.
According to Bjorn Fehrm, an aerospace analyst and former fighter pilot, it is very unusual for both engines to lose power together. Talking about the viral clip of the plane crash, Fehrm, as quoted by Bloomberg, said, "Everything is normal until they don’t put in the (landing) gear, and very shortly after the aircraft is losing thrust. 787 Dreamliner or other commercial aircraft is fully capable of taking off with just one engine."
Talking about the Air India Plane Crash, where it is largely assumed that engine failure could be the possible reason, he said, "That’s improbable like hell." However, the reason for the crash will only be clear once the probe report is out.
The Air India flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, took off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12. After reaching an altitude of 650 feet, the flight started losing altitude, and the pilot declared ‘Mayday’. The flight crashed into a medical college hostel building seconds after takeoff near the Ahmedabad Airport, killing 260 people, including 241 on board.
Since then, both Air India and Boeing Dreamliners have faced intense scrutiny. Days later, the flight’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder - also known as black boxes - were recovered safely from the hostel building. The AAIB is investigating the incident along with the US-based National Transportation Safety Board and Boeing.