Cockpit Audio Raises Alarming Questions in Air India Flight 171 Crash Probe
Hyderabad, July 12, 2025 (Maxim News): A chilling twist has emerged in the investigation into the Air India Flight 171 crash, as cockpit audio recordings reveal that one of the pilots questioned the sudden shutdown of fuel control switches just seconds after takeoff. The mysterious action led to a catastrophic dual engine failure, resulting in the loss of 260 lives in Ahmedabad last month.
According to a preliminary report, both fuel control switches of the 12-year-old Boeing 787 Dreamliner inexplicably moved to the “cut-off” position moments after takeoff, a procedure usually reserved for after landing. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) captures a disturbing exchange where one pilot is heard asking, “Why did you do the cut-off?”—only to be met with a denial: “I didn’t.”
The flight lasted less than 40 seconds, climbing to 625 feet before crashing into a densely populated neighborhood in Ahmedabad. Despite clear weather and normal operations, the sudden engine shutdown triggered emergency protocols, with one engine beginning to relight just as the aircraft lost altitude.
Investigators Focus on Fuel Switches
Investigators are focusing on the aircraft’s lever-lock fuel switches, which are specifically engineered to prevent accidental engagement. The switches require a deliberate upward pull and flip — and are also guarded by protective brackets.
“A simultaneous accidental activation of both switches by one hand is almost impossible,” said a Canada-based aviation investigator. Experts argue that such a switch-off could not happen unintentionally under normal conditions.
“It begs the question—was this a deliberate act, a technical failure, or extreme pilot confusion?” asked Shawn Pruchnicki, a former airline accident investigator from Ohio State University. “There’s no indication the crew was dealing with an emergency at the time, which makes the incident even more perplexing.”
Who Flipped the Switches?
The biggest mystery remains: who moved the switches? Neither pilot reported any malfunction prior to the crash, and no emergency call was made.
Peter Goelz, former managing director of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), expressed concern: “It’s very disturbing. Someone in that cockpit shut off the engines—why is the big question. Voice identification is now critical.”
Currently, voice matching has not confirmed who said what in the cockpit, and investigators emphasize the need for cockpit video recordings—a long-standing recommendation by aviation safety boards.
No Sign of Sabotage or Contamination
Investigators have ruled out fuel contamination and mechanical failure. The report confirms that fuel samples were clean and no advisories were issued for the GE GEnx-1B engines. However, a 2018 FAA bulletin flagged issues with fuel control switches on Boeing 737s, raising questions about whether similar concerns apply to the 787-8 used in this flight.
“It’s not clear whether the same switch design flaw could cause this,” said Mr. Pruchnicki. “If disengaged locks allowed switches to flip on their own, it would be a major safety issue.”

RAT Deployment Confirms Dual Engine Failure
The Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a backup emergency generator, deployed automatically—a clear sign both engines had lost power. The landing gear was also found down, suggesting the crew didn’t have time to retract it after takeoff.
A Boeing 787 pilot explained, “Normally, landing gear is retracted within 8 seconds of takeoff, but dual engine failure would have left no time for that. The pilots were focused on saving the aircraft, not routine procedures.”
A Rapid and Tragic Descent
Reconstruction of the flight shows both engines were shut off, and the crew attempted to restart them, with the left engine regaining partial thrust. However, the right engine did not have time to recover.
“The pilots tried to recover, but altitude was too low and time too short,” Mr. Pruchnicki said. “It was simply too little, too late.”
Next Steps in the Investigation
Authorities are continuing to analyze CVR and flight data recorders. A full transcript with identified speakers is expected to offer deeper clarity. International aviation bodies, including the NTSB, UK AAIB, Boeing, and GE, are actively assisting the Indian investigation.
This incident has reignited the global conversation about the urgent need for cockpit video recording systems—technology that could answer critical questions that audio alone cannot.
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