How Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad: Final moments of AI171

The “movement” or “transitioning” of fuel control switches three seconds after Air India’s Boeing 787-8 aircraft became airborne and later a loss of engine thrust and shutting down of both the engines precipitated an air crash on June 12 in Ahmedabad killing at least 260 people, including 19 on ground, according to the preliminary investigation report.

The fuel cutoff switches of both the engines “transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec,” said the report submitted by Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau late on Friday (July 11, 2025).

Read the preliminary report

The following are the final moments

1:37:37 p.m.: The Boeing 787 aircraft starts rolling for take off

(62 secs later) 1:38:39 p.m.: Aircraft achieves lift off or becomes airborne

(3 secs later) 1:38:42 p.m.: Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position cutting off fuel supply to the engines

At this moment, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff fuel supply. The other pilot responded that he did not do so.

1:38:47 p.m.: Backup power system or Ram Air Turbine is deployed

1:39:05 p.m.: Mayday Mayday Mayday call from cockpit. No response after ATC asks to identify aircraft, notices aircraft crashing

1:39:11 p.m.: Black box stops recording

1:44: 44 p.m.: Crash fire tender leaves airport premises for rescue operations and firefighting