32 Seconds, 2 Fuel Switches, 260 Lives: Final Moments Of AI 171 That Crashed In Ahmedabad A Year Ago

Last Updated:June 12, 2026, 11:11 IST

Investigators have established that the aircraft accelerated normally and became airborne without any apparent difficulty.

At 1:38 pm on June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI-171 thundered down the runway at Ahmedabad airport and lifted into the afternoon sky, bound for London Gatwick.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was carrying 242 passengers and crew. In the cockpit sat Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a veteran pilot with more than 15,600 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kunder, who had logged over 3,400 flying hours. Both had cleared mandatory medical and breath-analyser checks before the flight.

Read More: Pilot Error Or Technical Fault? A Year Later, Experts Still Can’t Agree On What Led To Air India Crash

Nothing during the taxi, take-off roll or initial climb suggested that the aircraft was about to become the centre of one of India’s worst aviation disasters. Thirty-two seconds later, it was over.

The Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off, killing 260 people, including those on the ground. A year later, despite extensive investigations involving Indian authorities, international experts, Boeing, GE Aerospace and regulators, one central question remains unanswered: what caused the aircraft to lose thrust moments after becoming airborne?

The Flight That Never Reached Altitude

AI-171 was being operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner powered by two General Electric GEnx engines. The aircraft had departed Ahmedabad for London Gatwick on what should have been a routine long-haul journey. Investigators have established that the aircraft accelerated normally and became airborne without any apparent difficulty.

First Officer Kunder was the Pilot Flying during take-off, while Captain Sabharwal was performing the role of Pilot Monitoring. Initial flight data suggests the aircraft briefly climbed after rotation before its ascent began to deteriorate.

Surveillance footage, eyewitness videos and radar data all point to the same disturbing reality: the aircraft was unable to gain sufficient altitude despite remaining airborne.

For investigators, what happened next has become the defining mystery of the crash.

The Cockpit Conversation That Changed Everything

Among the most scrutinised pieces of evidence is the cockpit voice recorder. According to details released during the investigation, one pilot can be heard asking: “Why did you cutoff?" The other pilot responds: “I did not do so."

Investigators have not publicly identified which pilot spoke either line. Those eight words have become the most debated cockpit exchange in modern Indian aviation history.

The conversation is significant because flight recorder data reportedly showed the engine fuel control switches moving from RUN to CUTOFF shortly after take-off. The switches are among the most critical controls in the cockpit. Moving them to CUTOFF interrupts fuel flow to the engines.

What investigators have not conclusively determined is why those switches moved.

Was the movement caused by human action? Was there a mechanical malfunction? Could a systems failure have played a role? The answers remain unknown.

The Crucial One Second

According to the preliminary findings, the two fuel control switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF approximately one second apart. In aviation terms, one second can be an eternity.

The movement resulted in a rapid loss of engine thrust at the worst possible moment during the aircraft’s initial climb when altitude, speed and time were all limited. Within moments, the Dreamliner began losing its ability to climb.

Race Against Time

The cockpit recordings and flight data indicate that the crew immediately recognised that something was wrong. The aircraft’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed, a critical clue in the investigation.

The RAT is an emergency device designed to automatically extend when an aircraft experiences significant loss of power. Once deployed, it provides enough emergency electrical and hydraulic power to keep essential systems functioning.

Its activation indicated that the Dreamliner was facing a severe systems emergency. Investigators believe the crew attempted to restore normal engine operation by returning the fuel control switches to the RUN position.

Evidence suggests one engine began showing signs of recovery. The second engine, however, did not regain sufficient power before the aircraft descended beyond a recoverable point. Everything was unfolding within seconds.

The Final Distress Call

As the emergency escalated, the crew transmitted a Mayday call. “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday."

It would be one of the last communications from the aircraft. Air traffic controllers had little opportunity to assist because events were moving too quickly.

Unlike emergencies where crews have several minutes to troubleshoot and coordinate with controllers, the pilots of AI-171 were confronted with a rapidly developing crisis that left almost no time for diagnosis.

The entire chain of events, from lift-off to impact, occurred in just 32 seconds.

Impact And Aftermath

The aircraft crashed before it could gain meaningful altitude. The impact and resulting fire caused devastating destruction.

The disaster claimed 260 lives, making it one of the deadliest aviation accidents in India’s recent history and the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft entered commercial service in 2011.

The scale of the tragedy triggered one of the largest and most technically complex aviation investigations ever conducted in India.

Investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder, flight data recorder, engine components and aircraft systems for analysis. Teams from multiple countries became involved in examining evidence. Yet the investigation has generated almost as many questions as answers.

Why Experts Still Disagree

A year after the crash, aviation experts remain divided. Some point to the fuel switch movements as evidence suggesting human involvement. Others argue that no conclusion can be drawn until every possible technical explanation has been ruled out.

Pilot associations have urged caution against assigning blame before the final report is released. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has repeatedly emphasised that no final conclusions have yet been reached.

Today, investigators know far more about the sequence of events than they did immediately after the crash. What they still do not know with certainty is what triggered the chain of events.

Engine examinations continue. Technical analyses remain ongoing. Investigators are still working to reconcile flight data, cockpit recordings and physical evidence.

The final report, originally expected sooner, has been delayed as experts continue examining key evidence.

One Year Later

For the families who lost loved ones, the anniversary is not simply a milestone in an investigation. It is a reminder that the search for answers remains unfinished.

For India’s aviation community, AI-171 represents a tragedy that continues to shape discussions about safety, pilot procedures, aircraft systems and accident investigations. For investigators, the challenge remains the same as it was on the day of the crash: understanding exactly what happened during those final 32 seconds.

One year later, the timeline has largely been reconstructed. The cause has not.

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