Investigators probing the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick are examining the possibility of a fuel system failure. Officers stated that visual evidence and wreckage confirmed a power failure seconds after takeoff. The aircraft reached only 625 feet in altitude before crashing into a medical hostel building. “The material evidence, which includes the wreckage and the videos of the takeoff as well as the crash, indicate a definite power failure on the flight,” said one officer. Probe teams await black box data to determine the cause, though the devices are reportedly damaged.
The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB), currently assisting in Ahmedabad, is comparing the AI-171 case with a February 2020 incident at Gatwick. That case involved an Airbus A321 that lost power in both engines shortly after takeoff. The aircraft returned safely after declaring a Mayday. The AAIB later found fuel contamination to be the root cause, despite engineers having cleared the aircraft prior to flight. Officers confirmed that findings from the Gatwick incident are relevant due to the similar nature of engine malfunction and immediate post-takeoff failure.
Officials are now reviewing the aircraft’s technical logs from the 24–48 hours before the crash. They aim to identify any previous reports of abnormalities, ECAM messages, or thrust issues. “The aircraft was incoming from Paris to Delhi and from Delhi to Ahmedabad… In fact, it made a round trip to Paris from Delhi on June 11-12. Just a day earlier, it had returned to Delhi after a round trip to Tokyo,” said one officer. Investigators will determine whether engineers or pilots noted any faults before clearing the flight for takeoff from Ahmedabad.
The black boxes and DVR have been recovered but remain damaged. Officials stated that file extraction would be complex, and they may send the devices to the U.S. NTSB for analysis. Chemical analysis of the wreckage is underway to detect fuel contamination. “Fuel contaminated with water is the most common cause of power loss in flights,” said an officer. Investigators have not indicated sabotage but are examining maintenance records to check for possible oversight, corrosion, or contamination in the aircraft’s fuel system.
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