Air India crash updates: Report hinting at pilot error over fuel switch cut off sparks union fury

Key Points

• Pilots Association of India objects to preliminary findings
• Air India crash investigation finds fuel switches cut off moments before impact
• Family member of four killed in Air India crash questions whether tragedy was avoidable
• UK government pledges to review report into tragedy
• Watch: Air India flight ‘was doomed’ without sufficient power, explains Simon Calder
• All we know about the Air India crash probe

Watch: Air India flight ‘was doomed’ without sufficient power, explains Simon Calder

Report suggesting pilot error over fuel switch cut off sparks union fury

A pilots’ union has hit out at the initial report into the Air India crash for raising the possibility of human error.

In a statement issued in response to the preliminary report in to the Air India crash, The Hindu reported the Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA-I) said: “The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias toward pilot error. ALPA-I categorically rejects this presumption and insists on a fair, fact-based inquiry.”

Full story: Air India crash investigation finds fuel switches cut off moments before impact

A preliminary report into the Air India crash that killed 260 people last month showed three seconds after taking off, the plane's engines fuel cutoff switches almost simultaneously flipped from run to cutoff, starving the engines of fuel.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner immediately began to lose thrust and sink down, according to the report released by Indian aviation accident investigators.

One pilot can be heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said.

My colleague Alex Ross has the full story:

Aviation regulator defends the safety of India’s skies following Air India crash

India’s aviation regulator has defended the safety of the country's skies after questions have been raised in the aftermath of the devastating Air India crash that killed approximately 275 people.

Air India flight AI171 took off from Ahmedabad for a journey to London Gatwick on 12 June, yet only moments after takeoff, the Boeing 787crashed into a medical student accommodation.

All but one of the 242 passengers on board died, with further casualties on the ground bringing the death toll to at least 275.

My colleague Amelia Neath reports:

Air India crash likely to trigger India’s biggest aviation insurance payout

The deadly Air India crash outside Ahmedabad earlier this month could result in the most expensive aviation insurance claim in India’s history, insurance experts say.

Investigators continue to probe what caused the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to plummet into a crowded residential complex into crash in Ahmedabad just 33 seconds after take-off on 12 June.

The total liability could range from $211m to $280m (approximately £166m to £220m), according to estimates reported by Press Trust of India. This includes the full hull value of the aircraft, compensation for victims’ families under international aviation law, and payouts for third-party property damage and loss of life on the ground.

While the airlines’ losses are expected to be covered under aviation “all-risk” insurance, the payouts for passengers are governed by the Montreal Convention, to which India is a signatory.

Is flying safe? The facts and figures after Air India tragedy

The devastating loss of Air India flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick is an example of an extremely rare event: a large jet crashing on an intercontinental air route.

Many prospective travellers will see the images of the tragedy in India, and three other passenger jet crashes in the past six months, and conclude that aviation is becoming more dangerous.

Such is the obsession with safety among aviation professionals that many risks have been engineered out. The last fatal accident involving a UK passenger jet was in the 1980s.

Fuel error three seconds after take-off revealed in Air India crash preliminary report

A preliminary report into the Air India crash that killed 260 people last month showed three seconds after taking off, the plane's engines fuel cutoff switches almost simultaneously flipped from run to cutoff, starving the engines of fuel.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner immediately began to lose thrust and sink down, according to the report released by Indian aviation accident investigators.

One pilot can be heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said.

Air India crash report lacks 'transparency' and important data compared to Ethiopian Airlines crash

Aviation experts in India monitoring the crash of London Gatwick-bound Air India flight from Ahmedabad have said the preliminary findings are weak compared to other crash reports issued in the past for Boeing aircraft.

“Compared with other high-profile preliminary reports, such as the 33-page Ethiopian Airlines ET 302 (737 MAX) report, the AI 171 report is notably brief and lacking in technical transparency. The ET 302 report included extensive data traces, CVR excerpts, checklists and manufacturer bulletins, enabling stakeholders worldwide to act swiftly,” aviation expert and founder of the NGO Safety Matters Amit Singh told The Hindu.

He added: “In contrast, the AI 171 report reads more like a narrative than a technical investigation and fails to offer the clarity and urgency warranted by such a catastrophic event.”

All we know about the Air India crash probe

1. The AAIB, an office under India's civil aviation ministry, is leading the probe into the crash, which killed all but one of the 242 people on board and 19 others on the ground.
2. The report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) about the 12 June crash raises fresh questions over the position of the critical engine fuel cutoff switches.
3. Most air crashes are caused by multiple factors, with a preliminary report due 30 days after the accident, according to international rules, and a final report expected within a year.
4. The plane's black boxes, combined cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders, were recovered in the days following the crash and later downloaded in India.
5. The report said "all applicable airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins were complied (with) on the aircraft as well as engines".
6. Closed-circuit TV footage from Ahmedabad airport earlier showed the Air India plane climbing to 650 feet after take-off before suddenly losing altitude and crashing in a fireball into a nearby building.

Pilots Association of India objects to preliminary findings

The Pilots’ Association of India has objected to the findings from the preliminary investigation into the London Gatwick-bound Air India plane that crashed last month and said it “presumes the guilt of pilots”.

Captain Sam Thomas, president of Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) India, said: “We feel that the investigation is being driven in a direction presuming the guilt of pilots, and we strongly object to this line of thought.”

"The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias toward pilot error. We categorically reject this presumption and insist on a fair, fact-based inquiry," the captain said.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London from the Indian city of Ahmedabad began to lose thrust and sink shortly after takeoff, according to the report on the world's deadliest aviation accident in a decade released on Saturday by Indian accident investigators.

The Alpa has also said they are surprised at the “secrecy surrounding these investigations” and questioned the qualifications of those involved.

“We are reiterating the fact that suitably qualified personnel are not taken on board for these crucial investigations”.

The association expressed surprise at the “secrecy surrounding these investigations” and questioned the qualifications of those involved. “We are reiterating the fact that suitably qualified personnel are not taken on board for these crucial investigations,” the statement read.

Friends and family members mourn near the coffin of co-pilot Clive Kunder, who died after an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane crashed during take-off from an airport in Ahmedabad in Mumbai (Reuters)

What is a ‘black box’ and what can it tell us about the Air India plane crash

A preliminary report into last month’s Air India plane crash has suggested the aircraft’s fuel control switches were turned off, starving the engines of fuel and causing a loss of engine thrust shortly after takeoff.

The Air India flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed on June 12 and killed at least 260 people, including 19 on the ground, in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad.

The report, issued by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on Saturday, is based on the data recovered from the plane’s black boxes, combined cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders.

What are black boxes?

The cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder are tools that help investigators reconstruct the events that led up to a plane crash.

They’re orange in colour to make them easier to find in wreckage, sometimes at great ocean depths. They’re usually installed in a plane’s tail section, which is considered the most survivable part of the aircraft, according to the National Transportation Safety Board's website.

Indian aviation minister says 'wait for final report' on Air India crash

India's civil aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, has said the report's findings were preliminary and one should not "jump into any conclusions on this”.

His remarks come amid initial reports causing speculations and blaming the Air India pilots for fuel cutoff on the doomed plane.

"I don't think we should jump into any conclusions over this. I believe we have the most wonderful workforce of pilots and crew in the whole world. I have to appreciate all the efforts the pilots and crew of the country are putting, they are the backbone of civil aviation. They are the primary resource of civil aviation. We care for the welfare and well-being of the pilots also. So let us not jump into any conclusions at this stage and wait for the final report," Mr Naidu said.

He added: "There are technicalities involved. It will be very premature to comment on the report. The preliminary has come in but we have to wait for something concrete to come in.”

Indian prime minister speaks to a team including civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu (second from the right) (Reuters)

Why fuel cutoff on Air India plane could have likely been a problem? Expert explains

Aviation expert and former airline pilot Terry Tozer said the engine cutoff switches being switched to off only seconds after takeoff was "absolutely bizarre”.

"Unfortunately, the altitude was so low that the engines were only beginning to recover and they didn't have enough time," Tozer told Sky News.

The report also indicated confusion in the cockpit moments before the crash.

In the flight's final moment, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said.

The plane crash, marked as the worst aviation disaster in India in a decade, killed 241 people on board.

An investigation team inspects the wreckage of Air India flight 171 a day after it crashed in a residential area near the airport, in Ahmedabad on June 13, 2025 (AFP via Getty Images)

Lawyers advising families of Air India crash victims say loved ones want answers

A lawyer advising some of the families affected by the crash said the findings were “deeply concerning”.

Demetrius Danas, an aviation lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: “We’re continuing to speak with and advise families who’ve been affected by the Air India crash.

“Understandably, all they want is to be provided with answers.”

Why the Air India crash report leaves devastated families with more questions

Early findings of an investigation into the Air India crash last month have revealed the plane’s fuel switches were cut off after take-off, leaving victim’s families with more questions and seeking “justice and answers”.

The preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), published on Friday, said both of the plane’s fuel switches were moved to the “cut-off” position “immediately” after take-off, stopping fuel supply to the engine.

Experts have since said it is not easy to “accidentally” cut off fuel switches.

Badasab Syed, 59, who lost his brother, 49-year-old IT professional Inayat Syed, his sister-in-law, and their two children in the crash, said he has just been left with more questions.

Watch: The British victims of Air India plane crash

Families of victims left questioning how the tragedy took place

The findings have left some families of victims questioning how the tragedy took place, and if it was avoidable.

Badasab Syed, 59, who lost his brother, 49-year-old IT professional Inayat Syed, his sister-in-law, and their two children in the crash, said he has just been left with more questions.

He told the BBC: “The report mentions the pilots discussing who turned off fuel and a possible issue with the fuel control switch. We don’t know what that means? Was it avoidable?”

Watch: Air India flight ‘was doomed’ without sufficient power, explains Simon Calder

Recap: No actions have been recommended for Boeing

No actions have been recommended for Boeing in the preliminary report which although drew no conclusions did find the fuel switches were in the cut off position before the plane crashed.

India's civil aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, said the report's findings were preliminary and one should not "jump into any conclusions on this."

"Let us wait for the final report," Naidu added.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board AirIndia Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad,” a statement from Boeing said.

Why the Air India crash report leaves devastated families with more questions

Recap: Air India faces additional scrutiny on other fronts after crash

Air India has faced additional scrutiny on other fronts after the crash.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said last week it plans to investigate its budget airline, Air India Express, after Reuters reported the carrier did not follow a directive to change engine parts of an Airbus A320 in a timely manner and falsified records to show compliance.

India is banking on a boom in aviation to support wider development goals, with New Delhi saying it wants India to be a job-creating global aviation hub along the lines of Dubai.

Wife of Air India crash victim calls for justice to be served for those who lost lives in tragedy

The wife of one of the Air India crash victims has called for justice to be served, for those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

Ayushi Christian, who married Lawrence Christian in 2023 before migrating to the UK, said her husband was in India because he had been performing the last rites of his father. He was on the AI 171 flight to return home to the UK.

Following the release of an initial report into the incident, Ms Christian told the BBC: “It has been one month since the crash, but no action has been taken by the government so far. [The] preliminary investigation report has come out today. Action should be taken against those responsible for the incident.”

Family members call for cockpit recordings from the crash to be released

The cousin of Air India crash victim Faizan Rafik is calling for more details to be brought forward following the preliminary report.

Sameer Rafik told the BBC he wants the cockpit recordings from the crash to be released.

"The Indian Government should release the cockpit audio for the families who lost loved ones," he said. Only after that "we will then know what happened", he told the BBC.

Watch: British wellness couple posted ‘Goodbye India’ video from airport before fatal Air India plane crash

Pictured: Memorial held for the deceased crew members

People console mother of Clive Kunder, co-pilot of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane, which crashed during take-off from an airport in Ahmedabad (REUTERS)

People offer prayers for crew members of the Air India flight at a church in Mumbai (AP)

People attend a memorial held for the deceased crew members (REUTERS)

Watch: Moment British survivor of Air India crash walks out of flames

Recap: UK government pledges to review report into tragedy

The UK government has said it will review India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s report into the tragedy.

On board the Air India flight bound for London Gatwick were 53 British nationals.

A Department for Transport spokesperson told the BBC: "This was a tragic accident, and our thoughts remain with the victims and their families.”

They continued: “The UK welcomes the publication of the Indian Authorities’ preliminary report, and will review this in detail and consider if any action is required.”

Why the Air India crash report leaves devastated families with more questions

Crash victim's families say they 'can't be at peace' without knowing the truth

The granddaughter of a victim of the Air India flight crash has said she “can’t be at peace” without those responsible being held accountable.

Although Ria Patel from Buckinghamshire feels the report brings them closer to understanding what happened, she told the BBC: "I want to be able to have closure."

Her grandmother Manju Mahesh Patel, 79, had been staying in Ahmedabad carrying out charity work at a temple before boarding the London Gatwick bound flight.

Following the report into the crash Ms Patel said: "I feel like I can't really be at peace with what's happened, unless I understand where the accountability lies."

Recap: Not easy to ‘accidentally’ cut off fuel switches, expert says on Air India crash

The fuel switches that were cut off before the Air India plane crash are the kind used on every flight, and designed so that this cannot easily "accidentally" happen, an aviation expert has said.

The fuel switches are used at the end of every flight and in emergency scenarios such as a fire, director of aerospace and aviation at Cranfield University, Professor Graham Braithwaite said, adding that pilots would generally run through a checklist before turning them off.

He said: "For obvious reasons, the two switches are a distance apart, so not a huge distance, but enough that you couldn't accidentally switch two when you're trying to switch one.

"So it's not like the lights in your house, where they're right next to each other, so there is some space between them.

"They're in that centre console, so that's in between the two pilots, so they can each reach them with the same ease."

Watch: UK student missed doomed Air India flight by minutes

Explained: How fuel control switches may have caused the crash

The report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found three seconds after take-off, the air India plane was climbing and accelerating with an airspeed of 180 knots (207mph), in line with normal performance.

But then the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from “RUN to CUTOFF position one after another.”

These switches are used to start the jet engines, shut them down or reset them in emergencies.

That caused both engines to be starved of fuel at the moment when power was most needed.

It took 10 seconds for one engine and 14 seconds for the other for the switches to be returned to the normal position – “transitioned from CUTOFF to RUN”.

If the switches were off, it could explain why the jet’s emergency power generator – known as a ram air turbine, or RAT – had been activated just before the plane crashed.

“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff? The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report noted.

(Screenshot/ aaib.gov.in)

(Screenshot/ aaib.gov.in)

Families of victims demand 'justice and answers'

Families of the victims of the Air India crash have demanded "justice and answers", after a report found the plane's fuel switches were cut off.

In a statement, relatives of Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa, who died in the crash, described the report as "the first stepping stone" and said the family are still "working our way through the weight of our loss."

They added: "Moving forwards, we require honesty, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to uncovering the full truth.

"We seek justice and answers, both of which are essential for us to find any sense of closure.

"We accept God's fate, but knowing what happened will help ease our hearts and allow us to begin the long journey of healing.

"Above all, we hope that by pursuing the truth, no other family will ever have to endure the shock, uncertainty, and profound sorrow that we have lived through this past month."

'Very unusual' if person moved fuel switches before Air India crash, aviation expert says

If the fuel switches that were cut off before the Air India plane crash were moved by a person, that would have been a "very unusual thing to do" at below 1,000 feet, an aviation expert has said.

Professor Graham Braithwaite, director of aerospace and aviation at Cranfield University, said: "It's not the point of flight where you try and call for your coffee, it's a period of flight where your focus is very, very clear, and that first 1,000 feet, it's about keeping the airplane climbing and that's not about clicking switches."

He added: "I could see why a nervous flyer would be nervous at the thought that it's possible to shut both engines down at a critical stage in flight, but for whatever reason, and that there are a number of things that are in place to stop it from accidentally happening."

The aircraft was about 11 years old, the fuel switches had been changed two years ago, and the crash was a "really, really unusual event", Professor Braithwaite said.

Of the next stage of the investigation, he said: "If somebody did wilfully move a switch, then was it on the one hand a wilful active sabotage, in which case the investigation changes considerably, because this safety investigation that published the report yesterday will not be leading on that, that would be a police investigation.

"So that would change at that point, but if it wasn't clear that it was that wilful action, you'd be looking at, well, what kind of mistake might somebody have made?"

Not easy to ‘accidentally’ cut off fuel switches, expert says on Air India crash

The fuel switches that were cut off before the Air India plane crash are the kind used on every flight, and designed so that this cannot easily "accidentally" happen, an aviation expert has said.

The fuel switches are used at the end of every flight and in emergency scenarios such as a fire, director of aerospace and aviation at Cranfield University, Professor Graham Braithwaite said, adding that pilots would generally run through a checklist before turning them off.

He said: "For obvious reasons, the two switches are a distance apart, so not a huge distance, but enough that you couldn't accidentally switch two when you're trying to switch one.

"So it's not like the lights in your house, where they're right next to each other, so there is some space between them.

"They're in that centre console, so that's in between the two pilots, so they can each reach them with the same ease."

Expert describes fuel control switch off seconds after take off as 'absolutely bizarre'

An expert has described the fuel control switches being switched off seconds after the Air India plane took off as “absolutely bizarre”.

Terry Tozer, aviation expert and former airline pilot, told Sky News: “The switch is designed to shut fuel off to the engines. And so, if you operate it, that's what it will do. It is also part of a design to reset.”

Mr Tozer said in case of an engine failure "one of the actions in the non-normal checklist would be to recycle these switches from on to off and back to on again, which would initiate a restart, which is exactly what happened as designed."

"Unfortunately, the altitude was so low that the engines were only beginning to recover and they didn't have enough time," Mr Tozer said, adding that the engine cutoff switches being switched to off "only seconds after liftoff, is absolutely bizarre."

UK government pledges to review report into tragedy

The UK government has said it will review India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s report into the tragedy.

On board the Air India flight bound for London Gatwick were 53 British nationals.

A Department for Transport spokesperson told the BBC: "This was a tragic accident, and our thoughts remain with the victims and their families.”

They continued: “The UK welcomes the publication of the Indian Authorities’ preliminary report, and will review this in detail and consider if any action is required.”

Wife of Air India crash victim calls for justice to be served for those who lost lives in tragedy

The wife of one of the Air India crash victims has called for justice to be served, for those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

Ayushi Christian, who married Lawrence Christian in 2023 before migrating to the UK, said her husband was in India because he had been performing the last rites of his father. He was on the AI 171 flight to return home to the UK.

Following the release of an initial report into the incident, Ms Christian told the BBC: “It has been one month since the crash, but no action has been taken by the government so far. [The] preliminary investigation report has come out today. Action should be taken against those responsible for the incident.”

Family member of four killed in Air India crash questions whether tragedy was avoidable

A family member of four people killed in the Air India crash has questioned whether the tragedy was avoidable.

Badasab Syed, 59, lost his brother, 49-year-old IT professional Inayat Syed, his sister-in-law, and their two children in the incident.

Following the release of India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau initial report into the crash, the 59-year-old said he has just been left with more questions.

He told the BBC: “The report mentions the pilots discussing who turned off fuel and a possible issue with the fuel control switch. We don’t know what that means? Was it avoidable?”

He added that he is disappointed no recommendations have yet been made for Air India or Boeing with a view to preventing future tragedies.

"We may have to wait for the final report,” he said.

Expert claims pilot may have deliberately crashed Air India plane, according to reports

An expert has claimed a pilot may have deliberately crashed the Air India plane, according to Indian media.

Captain Mohan Ranganathan, who is one of India's leading aviation experts, is among the first to raise the possibility that deliberate human action could have caused the tragedy, NDTV reported.

Speaking to the broadcaster, he highlighted the movement of fuel control switches to “cut-off” positions as well as conversations between the pilots, which have been outlined in the newly published findings from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.

In response to NDTV’s question over whether one of the pilots could have intentionally switched off the fuel, knowing that this could cause a crash, Captain Ranganathan said: “Absolutely.”

He continued: “It has to be manually done. It cannot be done automatically or due to a power failure because the fuel selectors are not the sliding type. They are designed to stay in a slot, and you have to pull them out to move them up or down. So, the possibility of inadvertently moving them to the ‘off’ position doesn't arise. It's definitely a case of deliberate manual selection to move it to 'off'.”

Watch Air India crash report: Simon Calder explains how flight was ‘doomed’ without sufficient power

Experts say a pilot would not be able to accidentally move fuel switches

Experts have said a pilot would not be able to accidentally move the fuel switches.

"If they were moved because of a pilot, why?" asked US aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse.

The switches flipped a second apart, the report said, roughly the time it would take to shift one and then the other, according to US aviation expert John Nance. He added that a pilot would normally never turn the switches off in flight, especially as the plane is starting to climb.

Flipping to cutoff almost immediately cuts the engines. It is most often used to turn engines off once a plane has arrived at its airport gate and in certain emergency situations, such as an engine fire. The report does not indicate there was any emergency requiring an engine cutoff.

At the crash site, both fuel switches were found in the run position and there had been indications of both engines relighting before the low-altitude crash, said the report.

Expert suggests 'extraordinary human error' could be behind Air India plane crash

Tim Atkinson, a pilot and aviation consultant, has said “there are very few situations or circumstances which would explain this" — referring to a key finding in the preliminary investigation by Indian authorities.

According to the preliminary report, fuel supply to the engines of the Air India plane that crashed last month was cut off shortly after take-off.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Atkinson explained: "One would be an utterly extraordinary human error, an unintentional act, and the other - I'm very sorry to say - would be an intentional act. And that's not a suggestion or allegation, it's simply an analysis of the small amount of information that we have at hand at this moment."

Air India crash investigation finds fuel switches cut off moments before impact

A preliminary report into the Air India crash that killed 260 people last month showed three seconds after taking off, the plane's engines fuel cutoff switches almost simultaneously flipped from run to cutoff, starving the engines of fuel.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner immediately began to lose thrust and sink down, according to the report released by Indian aviation accident investigators.

One pilot can be heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said.

It did not identify which remarks were made by the flight's captain and which by the first officer, nor which pilot transmitted "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" just before the crash.