US Media Report Suggests Senior Pilot Cut Fuel Flow Amid Row Over Air India Crash Findings

Last Updated:July 17, 2025, 07:40 IST

A new report suggests the fuel flow to the engines of the crashed Air India Boeing 787 was cut by the captain shortly after takeoff, prompting alarm from the first officer.

Ahmedabad: This combo of file images from June 12, 2025 shows Air India plane crashes moments after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport (PTI)

The cockpit recording between the two pilots on the crashed Air India plane indicates that the flow of fuel to the plane’s engines was cut by the captain of the flight, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The report also claimed that the first officer who was flying the Boeing 787 Dreamliner asked the more experienced captain why he moved the fuel switches to the “cutoff" position seconds after lifting off the runway.

The US media report comes amid the displeasure by the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) over the preliminary investigation report on the Air India Boeing 787 plane crash.

The report cited people familiar with US officials’ early assessment of evidence uncovered in the investigation into the June 12 Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people.

The first officer, who was flying the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, asked the more experienced captain why he moved the fuel switches to the “cutoff" position seconds after lifting off the runway, the report said.

The first officer expressed surprise and then panicked, while the captain seemed to remain calm, it added.

The two pilots involved were Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder, who had total flying experience of 15,638 hours and 3,403 hours, respectively.

A preliminary report of the probe released last week summarised the exchange but didn’t identify which pilot said what.

The report, by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), stated that one pilot asked the other why he moved the switches, while the other denied doing so.

One pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. “The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report mentioned.

It, however, did not establish whether turning off the switches might have been accidental or deliberate.

Without fuel flowing to the engines, the London-bound plane began to lose thrust and sink. Almost immediately after the plane lifted off the ground, closed-circuit TV footage showed a backup energy source called a ram air turbine had deployed, indicating a loss of power from the engines.

At the crash site, both fuel switches were found in the run position, and there had been indications of both engines relighting before the low-altitude crash, the report mentioned.

In an internal memo on Monday, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance faults and that all required maintenance had been carried out.

The AAIB’s preliminary report had no safety recommendations for Boeing or engine manufacturer GE.

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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