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Air India Crash Investigation Focuses on Fuel Switches

Preliminary report scrutinizes their positions before the fatal jet accident.

An Air India Boeing 787-8
Air India Boeing 787-8 [Credit: Shutterstock/Soos Jozsef]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A preliminary investigation into a fatal Air India crash revealed the engine fuel supply was unexpectedly shut off shortly after takeoff.
  • Cockpit voice recorder data indicates both pilots were surprised by the fuel cutoff, with neither admitting to operating the robustly designed switches.
  • Despite efforts to restore engine power, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed into a building off the runway, resulting in 260 fatalities.
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The preliminary investigation into the crash of an Air India flight in June suggests the fuel supply to the engines was shut off shortly after takeoff—an act that surprised both pilots, according to the cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had just lifted off from Ahmedabad airport (VAAH) bound for London when video shows the airline barely climbing, then it began a slow descent into a building off the end of the runway. The crash and subsequent fire killed 260 people, of whom 18 were on the ground. One passenger survived.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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