A preliminary report on the Air India crash that killed 260 people indicates that seconds after takeoff, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's engine fuel control switches were briefly switched off, starving the engines of fuel. The report, released by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), states the plane lost thrust and sank. Aviation experts confirm such switches are not easily moved accidentally and their effect is immediate. The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking another why fuel was cut off, with the other denying it. The switches were later found in the 'run' position at the crash site.
What are the engine fuel control switches at centre of Air India crash probe?
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️A preliminary report on the Air India crash that killed 260 people indicates that seconds after takeoff, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's engine fuel control switches were briefly switched off, starving the engines of fuel. The report, released by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), states the plane lost thrust and sank. Aviation experts confirm such switches are not easily moved accidentally and their effect is immediate. The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking another why fuel was cut off, with the other denying it. The switches were later found in the 'run' position at the crash site.
Trending- 1 June 12, 2025: Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner departs Ahmedabad for London.
- 2 Seconds after takeoff: Engine fuel control switches are briefly switched off.
- 3 Engines lose power, plane loses thrust and sinks.
- 4 Switches flip back to 'run' position.
- 5 Crash occurs, killing 260 people.
- 6 Saturday (July 10 or 11, 2025): India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) releases preliminary report.
- 260 people killed (242 on board, 19 on ground, one survivor)
- Plane lost thrust and sank
- Ongoing investigation into the cause of the crash
What: Engine fuel control switches on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner were briefly switched off after takeoff, leading to a loss of thrust and the subsequent crash of Air India flight.
When: Seconds after takeoff on June 12, 2025; preliminary report released on Saturday (July 10 or 11, 2025).
Where: Ahmedabad, India (departure city); London (destination); crash site (implied near Ahmedabad).
Why: The preliminary report does not state a reason for the switches being turned off; one pilot denied doing so. The effect was immediate fuel cutoff.
How: Fuel control switches, which regulate fuel flow, were moved from 'run' to 'cutoff' for both engines, one second apart, causing engines to lose power. They were later flipped back to 'run' and found in that position at the crash site.