Air India Crash Probe: Did "Fuel Anxiety" Force a Fatal Landing?

"Run" To "Cut-Off."

It takes less than a second to flip the fuel control switches on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It is a movement that should never happen in flight, let alone seconds after takeoff.

But on a humid June morning in Ahmedabad, that movement happened. And then, silence.

For months, we thought it was a freak mechanical failure. We thought the Dreamliner had betrayed its passengers. But the leaked findings from the Air India AI 171 investigation suggest something far more terrifying.

The plane didn’t fail. Someone turned it off.

The Nightmare on the Ground

In June 2025, Air India Flight 171 took off from Ahmedabad, bound for London. It was heavy with fuel and carried 240 passengers.

Seconds into the climb, both engines spooled down. The massive aircraft became a glider—a brick. Lacking the altitude to recover, it plummeted into a medical students' hostel near the airport.

The toll was horrific: 260 people dead. Only one survivor.

It was one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history. Initially, theories ranged from bird strikes to software glitches. But the black boxes told a different story.

The Smoking Gun: The Switches

According to a bombshell report by the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, investigators have ruled out mechanical failure.

The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) clearly shows that the fuel control switches were manually moved from the "Run" position to "Cut-off."

This cuts the fuel supply. The engines didn't stall; they were starved.

But the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) holds the most haunting piece of evidence. Moments before the crash, one pilot is heard shouting:

"Why did you cut off the fuel?"

The reply from the other pilot was a chilling denial: "I did not do so."

The "Intentional Act"

The leaked report alleges that this was an "Intentional Act."

The focus has narrowed on Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the Pilot-in-Command. Reports emerging a month after the crash suggested he was battling severe depression and going through a difficult divorce.

While his family vehemently denies these claims—calling for a fresh probe and rejecting the "suicide theory"—the investigation is drawing uncomfortable parallels to the Germanwings Flight 9525 tragedy of 2015.

The theory is simple and devastating: A pilot, entrusted with 200+ lives, decided to end his own, taking everyone else with him.

Proven vs. Alleged

As the DGCA prepares its final report, we must separate the hard data from the theories.

The Verdict: The Enemy Within

The Kozhikode crash of 2020 taught us about the dangers of "Fuel Anxiety"—pressure from the outside. The Ahmedabad crash of 2025 is forcing us to confront the danger from the inside.

If a pilot wants to crash a plane, there is very little a co-pilot or a computer can do to stop them in those final, critical seconds.

The forthcoming report is expected to demand stricter psychological evaluations and continuous mental health monitoring for pilots. But can a test truly detect a breaking heart or a snapping mind?

260 people paid the price for a moment of madness. The question now isn't about better planes. It's about the people flying them.

FAQ: The AI 171 Investigation

1. Can a plane's engines just "turn off" by mistake?

It is extremely unlikely. The fuel control switches are guarded and require a deliberate "lift and move" action. It is not a button you bump accidentally, especially not for both engines simultaneously.

2. What did the Black Box hear?

The Cockpit Voice Recorder captured a dispute. One pilot accused the other of cutting the fuel. This confirms that at least one pilot was aware the engines were being shut down manually.

3. Was it a mechanical failure?

No. The preliminary technical assessment ruled out mechanical defects. The switches worked exactly as designed—they shut off the fuel when told to do so.

4. Who was Captain Sumeet Sabharwal?

He was the Pilot-in-Command. While reports suggest he suffered from depression, his family and colleagues have defended his record, stating he was fit to fly.

5. What happens next?

The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) will release the final official report. If the "Intentional Act" is confirmed, it will likely lead to a global overhaul of pilot mental health screening protocols.