Sudden motorcycle closing caused Air India Ahmedabad-London Flight Crash: Provisional report

File photo: A firefighter stands next to the crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Aircraft, in Ahmedabad, India, 13 June 2025. Reuters/Adnan Abidi/File photo | Photocredit: Adnan Abidi

New Delhi

The provisional report of the probe in the tragic crash of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft from Air India revealed a month ago that both engines are closed seconds after taking off.

The plane, operational flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, therefore crashed just after taking off catwalk 23 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, at 13.39 hours on 12 June 2025.

The crash led to the loss of 241 lives on board and 19 on the ground.

According to the report prepared by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), only three seconds after reaching its peak speed of 180 knots, both fuel control switches appeared to have switched from ‘Run’ to the ‘Cutoff’ mode, which closed both engines in the air.

However, the report did not quote the cause of this performance.

In fact, the cockpit vote recorder won one pilot and asked the other: “Why did you cut off?” Followed by the answer from the other pilot: “I didn’t do that.”

Consequently, the ‘RAM Air turbine’ (rat) system is automatically used. This is a back -up system that is caused by a loss of motor and electric current.

According to the report, the forward flight data recorder confirmed that the engines started an automatic relight series within a few seconds after the closure.

The AAIB report pointed out that ‘engine 1’ began to recover, but ‘engine 2’ could not be reassured.

For their part, the crew had tried to restart the engines and to relocate both fuel ‘Cutoff’ switches to “Run” positions.

Because of this movement ‘Engine 1’, however, the recovery process was able to begin, ‘Motor 2’ during charging, his nuclear speed delay could not arrest.

Subsequently, the plane did not succeed in height and crashed at the BJ Medical College Hostel Compound, which is less than a nautical mile from the end of the runway.

The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft and damaged five surrounding buildings and spreads wreck over an area of 1,000 feet by 400 feet.

The cause of the non -united fuel trait is seen as the potential cause of the crash.

The report also excluded other potential causes, such as weather conditions, the airworthiness of the aircraft, pilot competencies, bird attacks and theories around substandard fuel.

Nevertheless, the investigation is underway and it is expected that a final report will be delivered within 12 months.

In the meantime, the report has not issued immediate safety recommendations or airworthiness guidelines. It said that the aircraft was considered airworthy, with valid certification and no critical defects.

The report also stated that the flight was crew by an experienced captain with more than 15,000 flying hours and a co-pilot with more than 3000 hours.

It also pointed out that both pilots had received the correct rest and medical approval before the flight.

The current study is conducted by a team consisting of experts from the AAIB, Indian Air Force, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Experts from Boeing and GE also helped with the research.

Published on July 12, 2025