…as Air India CEO maintains the ill-fated aircraft was airworthy and had no technical complaints prior to the crash.
NEW DELHI, INDIA – The iNews Times reports that Aviation authorities have uncovered a puzzling twist in the investigation of the fatal Air India crash near Ahmedabad, as black box data reveals a mysterious manipulation of the aircraft’s fuel control switches seconds before disaster struck.
According to a preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), both engines of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner reportedly shut down after the fuel-control switches were manually flipped from “run” to “cutoff” shortly after takeoff.
The AAIB noted that cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut it off?” – a question that has left investigators and the global aviation community searching for answers.
The cause of the switches being toggled remains unclear. The AAIB has not ruled out human error, inadvertent action, or a possible mechanical malfunction. Aviation experts, however, say the deliberate nature of the switch activation, as indicated by the cockpit audio, raises serious questions about cockpit procedures and crew coordination.
“This is not a routine mechanical failure. We are looking at every possibility – including pilot action, system failure, or a combination of factors,” a senior official involved in the investigation told reporters on Tuesday.
In response to the findings, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered immediate inspections of all Boeing 787 and 737 fuel-control systems operated by Indian carriers. Several international regulators, including those in South Korea and Europe, have issued similar directives.
Major airlines such as Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, and ANA have begun precautionary checks on their Boeing fleets. So far, no technical faults related to the fuel-control switches have been found.
Air India, whose CEO faced tough questions earlier this week, has maintained that the ill-fated aircraft was airworthy and had no prior technical complaints. “We want a thorough, transparent investigation. This is far from over,” the CEO stated in a press briefing.
The crash, which claimed all 231 lives on board, has reignited the global debate on cockpit safety and the need for cockpit video recorders – a move strongly resisted by pilot unions citing privacy concerns.
While the investigation continues, authorities have given airlines a deadline of July 21 to complete mandatory checks on their fleets. The final AAIB report is expected within the next year.
For now, the mystery lingers – how could a routine takeoff end in a catastrophic double engine failure caused by a switch that should never have been touched?
