‘Why did you cut off fuel? I didn’t’: AI pilots’ chilling last chat ahead of crash

The preliminary investigation into last month’s Air India AI171 crash in Ahmedabad has found that fuel supply to both engines was cut off seconds after take-off, resulting in a catastrophic loss of power, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) revealed.

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According to the report, flight recorder data showed both engines’ fuel control switches moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” position one after another, just moments after the aircraft lifted off from Runway 23. The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, registered as VT-ANB, had reached 180 knots airspeed before both engines shut down.

Both enhanced airborne flight recorders (EAFRs), commonly known as black boxes, were retrieved in separate rescue and debris removal operations — one found damaged on a building rooftop near the crash site on June 13 and the other from the wreckage debris on June 16.

While one was too damaged for full data extraction, the forward recorder’s data has been crucial in reconstructing the final moments. The data extraction required special equipment sourced from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

In a crucial detail, cockpit voice recordings captured one of the pilots questioning the other: “Why did you cut off?” The other pilot responded: “I didn’t.” This exchange suggests the fuel control switch movements were not deliberate.

The AAIB noted no signs of bird activity or external obstruction. CCTV footage confirmed Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment immediately after take-off, a clear indication of dual engine failure.

As per the report, attempts were made in mid-air to relight both engines as the aircraft plunged, with fuel control switches manually moved back to “RUN” positions.

According to the flight data, engine 1 showed brief signs of recovery, with exhaust gas temperature rising and core speed stabilising momentarily. However, engine 2 struggled to regain power, its core speed fluctuating as fuel was reintroduced repeatedly in a desperate bid to restart combustion.

Despite these automatic and manual efforts, the aircraft continued to lose altitude, leaving the pilots with little time or height to fully recover control before the fatal impact. The AAIB’s investigation is ongoing to determine the root cause of the in-flight fuel cut-off.