Ahmedabad Air India Plane Crash: Here Are 10 Key Takeaways From The Prelim Report Released By AAIB

On June 12, AI171 was supposed to head from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick. The plane—a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner—barely got off the ground. Seconds after takeoff, both engines lost power.

The plane slammed into a building near the airport, taking out a total of 260 lives. 

 Here Are 10 Key Takeaways Prelim Report Released By AAIB

– Both engines quit pretty much right after liftoff. The fuel cutoff switches got flipped from RUN to CUTOFF one after the other, all in a single second. No fuel, no power.

– Cockpit audio caught one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” and the other saying, “I didn’t.” 

– Once the engines died, the Ram Air Turbine—a backup little propeller thing—popped out automatically to keep some hydraulics running. CCTV footage caught this happening moments after takeoff.

– The pilots scrambled to restart the engines. Engine 1 sort of came back, but engine 2 just wouldn’t budge. The plane stayed airborne for 32 seconds, tops, before crashing into a hostel less than a mile from the runway.

– Thrust levers were found at idle, but the black box data showed takeoff thrust was still engaged. Means something wasn’t syncing up—maybe a mechanical or electronic failure.

– Fuel was clean, no contamination. Nothing weird from the refuelling side.

– Flaps and gear were set as they should be for takeoff. Weather? Not a factor. Skies were clear, visibility good, wind light. No birds, either.

– Both pilots had their paperwork in order, were healthy, well-rested, and knew the aircraft well. 

– No clear sabotage or foul play found. But here’s a kicker: there was already an FAA warning out about a possible fuel switch flaw—Air India hadn’t done the recommended checks.

– The plane wasn’t overloaded, and nothing dangerous was in the cargo.