On June 12, tragedy struck when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. Preliminary findings reveal that the fuel control switches for both engines unexpectedly shifted from RUN to CUTOFF moments before impact, leaving the cockpit in confusion. In the cockpit voice recording, one pilot asked, "Why did you cut off?" while the other insisted he hadn\u2019t operated it. 🚨
Investigators noted that this switch transition happened within just one second after the aircraft reached its top speed. Although the switches eventually returned to RUN, the engines couldn\u2019t gather enough power in time. The report also recalled a 2018 advisory bulletin from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration regarding the fuel control switch locking feature, which Air India had not inspected as the checks were advisory.
The fatal incident claimed 242 lives onboard and 19 lives on the ground, with only one miraculous survivor—a British citizen—emerging from the wreckage. Experts from U.S. and British air accident teams have joined the ongoing investigation to piece together the technical and human factors behind this disaster.
This incident highlights the importance of precise technological controls in modern aviation—a critical reminder for a tech-savvy world where every second counts. Stay tuned as more details emerge! ✈️
Reference(s):
Probe: Fuel to Air India engines cut off moments before deadly crash
cgtn.com
