New Delhi, July 12 - A preliminary investigation report into the deadly crash of Air India Flight AI 171 has revealed shocking details about what may have caused the Boeing 787-8 to crash just seconds after take-off, leading to one of India’s worst aviation disasters in 40 years. The early findings suggest that the aircraft’s fuel supply was cut off shortly after take-off, possibly due to human error.

The flight, operated by co-pilot Clive Kunder and monitored by commander Sumeet Sabharwal, took off normally and had cleared about 400 feet in the air. Both pilots had completed their pre-flight checks, were well-rested, and passed breathalyser tests before the flight. The aircraft itself was well maintained, with all its systems in order, according to the report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.

But then something unexpected and catastrophic happened. Within a second of each other, both engine fuel control switches were moved from the ‘RUN’ position to ‘CUTOFF’. These switches control the fuel flow to each of the two engines. When switched to CUTOFF, they stop the fuel supply, causing the engines to shut down.

A recording from the cockpit revealed a tense moment, where one pilot asked the other why the fuel was cut. The other responded by saying he didn’t do it. The report does not clarify who said what or what happened next in the cockpit. However, after just a few seconds, both switches were flipped back to RUN, a sign that the pilots realized the engines had lost power and were trying to restart them. But by then, the aircraft was already too low for the engines to recover power and lift the plane.

Experts say the switches are designed to prevent accidental movement. They are spring-loaded and protected by side brackets. To move them from one position to another, the pilot must first lift the switch. Because of this design, pilots say it is nearly impossible to move the switches by mistake.

These switches are typically only used on the ground, when starting the engines before departure and shutting them down after landing. In flight, they are used only in emergencies, such as engine failure or damage. It’s unclear why the switches were moved in this case, as there was no sign of engine trouble before the incident.

The report also mentioned that the U.S. aviation regulator, the FAA, had warned in 2018 about a possible issue with the locking feature of such fuel switches. But the warning was not mandatory, and Air India did not inspect the module at that time. Still, the report found no technical problem with the switches or the aircraft. The module that holds the switches was replaced twice in recent years, but not because of any fuel switch issues.

As the engines shut down, emergency systems like the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) and Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) activated automatically. These systems provide backup power when the main engines fail. Their quick deployment confirmed that both engines had indeed lost power during flight.

At this point in the investigation, there are no warnings or recommended actions for other Boeing 787 or GE GEnx engine users. This means that investigators do not believe there was any fault with the aircraft or its engines. The focus has now shifted to the actions taken by the pilots in those final seconds.

A final report is expected in the coming months, but for now, the early findings raise serious questions about what really happened in the cockpit of AI 171 and how one wrong move may have cost so many lives.