India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its preliminary findings into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which went down shortly after departing from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12.

According to the report, the aircraft suffered a catastrophic dual engine failure within 90 seconds of takeoff, causing a rapid descent that led to a fatal crash into nearby residential buildings.

Data recovered from the aircraft’s Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) revealed that both engine fuel cutoff switches were mistakenly moved from RUN to CUTOFF — just one second apart — shortly after liftoff. This sequence caused an immediate loss of thrust in both engines.

A cockpit voice recording captured a moment of confusion, with one pilot asking the other, “Why did you cut off?” The response: “I did not.”

This unexpected event triggered deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) and initiated a steep descent. Despite efforts by the flight crew to re-engage the engines, only Engine 1 showed signs of recovery. Engine 2 failed to stabilize, and the aircraft never regained sufficient altitude.

At 08:09 UTC, a “MAYDAY” distress call was sent — moments before the aircraft crashed into buildings outside the airport perimeter, including the BJ Medical College hostel.

The crash caused severe structural damage and fire across five buildings. Notably, the aircraft’s Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) did not activate, potentially delaying rescue coordination. However, emergency response units arrived within five minutes of the crash.

The pilot-in-command, aged 56 with 15,000+ flying hours, and the co-pilot, aged 32 with 3,400+ hours, were both experienced and had no recent duty irregularities or health issues.

Investigators also referenced a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) issued by the FAA in 2018, which warned about potential issues involving fuel control switch locking mechanisms on Boeing aircraft models.

The AAIB has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. Additional data, stakeholder input, and technical records are being examined before the final report is released in the coming months.

This incident has prompted renewed scrutiny on fuel control system designs and pilot training protocols.