Italian Media Report On Pilot's Role In Ahmedabad Air India Crash Sparks Debate

Last Updated:February 11, 2026, 22:12 IST

The report said the crash occurred after both engine fuel switches were moved from “Run” to “Cutoff” shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025.

An Italian media report claiming that pilot action was the cause of the June 2025 Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad triggered intense debate. According to a report published by Corriere della Sera, Indian investigators are preparing to state in the final accident report that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed because one of the pilots turned off both engine fuel switches, an act described by sources cited in the report as “almost certainly intentional."

The newspaper cited Western aviation sources familiar with discussions between Indian and US investigators, claiming that no technical malfunction has been found that could explain the near-simultaneous loss of power in both engines.

Read more: Air India Crash Report: Why Western Media’s Coverage Has Drawn Criticism

What Italian Report Claims

The report said the crash occurred after both engine fuel switches were moved from “Run" to “Cutoff" shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. Simulator tests conducted in the US reportedly failed to reproduce a scenario in which both engines shut down due to a mechanical fault, leaving human intervention as the only plausible explanation.

A preliminary report released a month after the crash had already confirmed that both engines lost thrust after the fuel switches were moved. However, it did not specify why the switches were moved. The cockpit voice recorder reportedly captured one pilot asking, “Why did you turn off the engines?", with the other responding, “It wasn’t me." Attempts to restart the engines were unsuccessful.

Read more: ‘Baseless, Defamatory’: Pilots’ Body Slaps Notice On Reuters, WSJ Over Air India Crash Report

According to Corriere della Sera, Western investigators have focused on Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was acting as pilot monitoring while First Officer Clive Kunder was flying the aircraft.

The report claims flight data showed the left engine shut down first, followed by the right- a sequence that aligns with cockpit seating, as the captain sits in the left seat. In the final moments, the first officer’s control column was positioned as if attempting to pitch the aircraft upward while the captain’s remained neutral.

The newspaper added that enhanced analysis of “cleaned-up" cockpit audio recordings helped investigators determine which pilot moved the switches and ruled out accidental error.

Social Media Reactions On Italian Report

The Italian report sparked sharp reactions online, with many users questioning the narrative emerging from foreign media. One user wrote, “WHAT DID I TELL YOU!! They’re going to blame it on pilots, honestly this is such a bullshit report and why would the captain give any input when he’s the pilot monitoring."

Another urged caution, writing, “Don’t post for visibility, let the DGCA investigate first."

What Government Said In Parliament

The Union Civil Aviation Ministry addressed questions on the investigation process in the Lok Sabha on December 18, 2025, responding to an unstarred question raised by Congress MP Manish Tewari. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting the probe strictly in accordance with standards laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

On the handling of flight recorders, the minister informed Parliament that the rear Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) was recovered on June 13, 2025, while the front EAFR was recovered on June 16, 2025. Both were transferred to AAIB, Delhi, on June 24, 2025, following all prescribed security protocols.

“The EAFRs are in the custody of AAIB since their retrieval from the crash site and are under constant security and CCTV surveillance," the government said. Responding to demands for an independent review, the government said AAIB has functioned as an independent body since July 2012, with functional autonomy under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, and therefore no separate review was proposed.

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