A recent assessment based on cockpit recordings suggests the captain of the Air India flight cut fuel flow to the engines. The flight crashed in June near Ahmedabad, killing 260 people. This finding comes from U.S. officials who reviewed early evidence, though the investigation is still ongoing.
The first officer was controlling the plane when he asked the captain why the fuel switches were moved to cutoff. This action stopped fuel from reaching the engines. The captain reportedly denied making the change. However, the recording points toward the captain’s involvement.
There is no cockpit video confirming who flipped the switches. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India, leading the probe, has warned against jumping to conclusions. They said the investigation is still active and more facts are needed before finalizing the cause.
The AAIB’s preliminary report showed that the fuel switches changed from “run” to “cutoff” just after takeoff. It did not explain how the switches were moved. Immediately after lift-off, a backup energy source, called the ram air turbine, deployed. This indicated a sudden loss of engine power.
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder were the pilots. Sabharwal had over 15,000 flying hours, while Kunder had about 3,400 hours. The final report on the crash is expected within a year, as is standard for major aviation accidents.
The Air India crash is the deadliest aviation disaster in a decade. It has sparked global attention and calls for more transparency in the investigation. The U.S. officials’ early findings add important clues but do not provide a full explanation.
Air India and the AAIB continue cooperating as they seek to understand all factors behind the tragedy. Authorities emphasize that most crashes involve multiple causes, and the full report will clarify the final findings.
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