‘Why did you cut off feul’: Air India cockpit last chat reveals tragic moments-OxBig News Network

A preliminary investigation report has revealed a critical clue: both engines’ fuel switches were moved from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ just seconds after takeoff month after the tragic Air India plane crash that claimed the lives of at least 270 people.

The 15-page report, released early Saturday by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), sheds new light on what may have caused the worst aviation disaster in the country in decades. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, slamming into a hostel for medical students and exploding in a fireball.

Critical moment caught on voice recorder

Data retrieved from the aircraft’s Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFR) showed the sudden transition of fuel control switches on both engines. This effectively cut off fuel supply mid-air.

In the cockpit voice recording, one pilot can be heard urgently asking the other:

“Why did you cut off?”

The other replied: “I did not.”

Seconds later, both switches were moved back to the ‘RUN’ position, indicating that the crew tried to restart the engines. However, the EAFR stopped recording shortly after, and the aircraft continued to lose altitude.

Mayday call

A MAYDAY call was issued by one of the pilots, but no response was received after Air Traffic Control attempted to confirm the call sign. The plane was airborne for only 32 seconds before it crashed just outside the airport boundary, killing nearly everyone on board and about 30 people on the ground.

Both pilots medically fit

The report stated that both pilots — Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (8,200 flight hours) and First Officer Clive Kundar (1,100 hours) — were medically fit, well-rested, and experienced.

Investigators ruled out sabotage but cited an earlier Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory, which warned of a potential issue where fuel switches could be installed without an engaged locking mechanism. Although the advisory applied to Boeing 737 aircraft, the AAIB noted the issue as possibly relevant. The FAA had not classified it as an unsafe condition.

Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed

Airport CCTV footage confirmed that the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) — a backup power device deployed in case of complete engine or electrical failure — was activated moments after takeoff, further confirming that both engines failed simultaneously.

The aircraft had been fully fueled and began losing altitude even before it crossed the airport perimeter wall. No bird activity or external impact was detected in the flight path.

The report briefly referenced a similar incident from the 1980s, in which a Delta Air Lines pilot accidentally cut off engine fuel. In that case, the pilot managed to restart the engines due to being at a higher altitude — a luxury the Air India crew didn’t have.