The recent crash of Air India Flight AI 171 in Ahmedabad has left families, investigators, and the public searching for answers. The Boeing 787, carrying 244 passengers en route to London, plummeted shortly after takeoff, raising questions about what caused the tragedy. A preliminary report points to a puzzling detail: the fuel cut-off switches were flipped seconds after the plane left the ground, halting the engines’ ability to receive adequate fuel for propulsion.
Cockpit voice recordings reveal a chilling exchange between the pilots, with one questioning the other about the fuel switch action, only to receive a denial. This has sparked speculation about human error, with some suggesting the co-pilot may have mistakenly manipulated the wrong controls, possibly confusing the flaps with the landing gear. The black box, now recovered by India’s National Security Guard, is under intense scrutiny to clarify these events. However, the investigation remains complex, with calls for a full cockpit transcript and clear voice identification to piece together the sequence of events from pushback to the crash.
Families of the victims, like that of IT professional Inayat Syed, who was traveling for a family wedding, are grappling with grief and frustration. Many, including the mother of passenger Maithili Patil, express confusion over the technical details and demand transparency. Posts on X have echoed these sentiments, with some users alleging a sabotage angle is being explored, though no official confirmation supports this claim. Others highlight the pilots’ distress call, indicating a “Mayday” with reports of “no thrust” and “losing power.”
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, alongside international partners, is assisting in the probe, focusing on the aircraft’s systems and crew actions. Aviation experts note that the 787’s landing gear retraction typically completes within seconds, making the timing of the fuel switch incident particularly baffling. As the investigation continues, the aviation community and grieving families await clearer answers to unravel the mystery of Air India Flight AI 171’s tragic end.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, July 13th, 2025
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