Fuel supply to both engines of an Air India passenger plane was cut off moments before it crashed shortly after takeoff last month, killing 260 people, according to a preliminary investigation released.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said the fuel control switches of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner were moved from the 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' position seconds apart on June 12, triggering a rapid loss of altitude.
The aircraft was en route from Ahmedabad, in western India, to London when it went down.
The crash killed 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 more on the ground.
One British passenger survived and was later discharged from hospital.
"In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the 15-page report said.
After the switches were returned to the 'RUN' position and the engines appeared to power up again, one of the pilots issued a "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY" distress call.
But by then, the aircraft had already begun descending rapidly.
Air traffic controllers asked for clarification but soon lost contact and reported the crash to emergency services.
Investigation ongoing
The investigation report did not assign blame or draw conclusions but confirmed that both engines lost fuel supply in quick succession, with no explanation yet for how or why.
Specialist publication The Air Current, citing unnamed sources, reported earlier this week that the probe was focusing on the engine fuel switches.
However, it noted that the investigation could shift direction and that a full analysis may take months or longer.
The report referenced a 2018 information bulletin from the US Federal Aviation Administration, warning about the possible disengagement of the locking mechanism on the engine fuel control switches.
The FAA had not classified the issue as an "unsafe condition."
Air India told investigators it had not conducted the suggested checks since the recommendations were "advisory and not mandatory."
The report added that the airline had complied with all airworthiness directives and manufacturer bulletins at the time of the crash.
The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers — including 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese citizens and one Canadian — along with 12 crew members.
Dozens of people on the ground were also injured.
Initial casualty estimates from local health officials had placed the death toll at 279, but forensic work later revised the number to 260 after confirming multiple fragmented remains belonged to the same individuals.
