In brief
The investigation into the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash, which claimed 260 lives, has shed light on a perplexing moment captured in cockpit recordings, where fuel-control switches were turned off right after takeoff. With experts questioning pilot actions and system reliability, crucial insights remain elusive, urging the need for improved investigative measures.
Investigators have made a startling revelation in the preliminary inquiry into the Air India Flight 171 crash, which tragically took the lives of 260 people in June. Just moments post-takeoff, both fuel-control switches on the 12-year-old Boeing 787 Dreamliner unexpectedly shifted to the "cut-off" position, cutting off fuel supply and causing a loss of engine power. This switch action is normally only performed post-landing, raising immediate concerns. The cockpit voice recorder captures a conversation between the pilots, with one questioning why the switch was turned off, while the individual responsible denies making that action. Currently, it’s unclear which pilot was at fault, as the co-pilot was piloting the aircraft while the captain kept an eye on operations. The switches were momentarily returned to the inflight position, allowing for automatic engine relight; however, by the time of the crash, only one engine was just beginning to regain thrust.Air India Flight 171 ascended to 625 feet before crashing into a populated area in Ahmedabad, marking one of India's most elusive aviation tragedies. Investigation efforts involve a team of Indian authorities assisted by experts from Boeing and aviation regulators, probing both the wreckage and the cockpit recorders. What makes this incident puzzling is the design of the fuel switch controls, which incorporate safety features intended to prevent accidental activation. An unnamed air accident investigator reiterated that the dual switches should not be easily activated without intentional action. The profound implications arise from the possibility that a pilot either erroneously or intentionally turned off the fuel supply. A former airline accident investigator, Shawn Pruchnicki, expressed concerns about the lack of reportable issues, noting no unusual circumstances were indicated at the time. Peter Goelz, formerly with the US's NTSB, underscored the gravity of a pilot shutting off fuel switches just seconds after takeoff, suggesting that more substantial information could be concealed within the cockpit audio. The questions remain: Who was responsible for turning off the switches, and why? Investigators require precise voice identification and an entire transcript of cockpit communications to gain clarity on this incident, alongside the pressing need for cockpit video recordings suggested by the NTSB.Interestingly, a report from December 2018 by the US Federal Aviation Administration highlighted safety concerns regarding the fuel control switches for Boeing 737s, albeit it did not classify the situation as hazardous. Notably, the same switch design is present in the Boeing 787 model involved in the crash, although Air India did not conduct recommended inspections as the advisory was not deemed legally enforceable.Pruchnicki pondered whether there was a technical malfunction with the control unit allowing switches to flip unintentionally. As it stands, fuel samples from the refueling tanks were found acceptable, and mechanical failure is not suspected pending further review. During the crash event, it was observed that the aircraft’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT) was deployed, a clear indicator of significant system failure, with the landing gear remaining in the down position. A pilot familiar with the Boeing 787 design commented on the quickness of gear retraction during ascent, suggesting cognitive overload might have prevented pilots from focusing on non-critical actions during the emergency.Ultimately, analysts have indicated that the crew attempted to manage the situation promptly, but time constraints resulted in insufficient thrust recovery, leading to a catastrophic outcome shortly after takeoff.
