Human Intervention Suspected in Air India Crash: Preliminary Report

A preliminary report on the fatal crash of Air India's London flight AI 171 has been released, pointing to human intervention as the cause of the crash. The report suggests that either the captain or the first officer could have manipulated the fuel switches, but it is unclear who was responsible. The report also contains vague statements and attempts to cover up the fact that only the captain could have moved the fuel selector to the cut-off position. The investigation is ongoing and several other factors could have caused the crash.

A preliminary report on the fatal crash of Air India's London flight AI 171 has been released, indicating that human intervention was the cause of the crash. The report suggests that either the captain or the first officer could have manipulated the fuel switches, but it is unclear who was responsible. The report also contains vague statements and attempts to cover up the fact that only the captain could have moved the fuel selector to the cut-off position. The investigation is ongoing, and several other factors could have caused the crash.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report on Saturday, stating that the aircraft's weight was within limits, and fuel samples were satisfactory. The report does not recommend any immediate action against the aircraft or engine manufacturers [2]. The investigation is continuing, and the team will examine additional evidence, records, and information [3].

The report marks the first official explanation for the disaster, which has thrown the Indian carrier into crisis just as it worked on a turnaround under the new ownership of the Tata Group. Boeing has also kept a low public profile in the wake of the catastrophe, as the US planemaker became associated with another aircraft mishap [3].

The Boeing Co. 787 was bound for London when it crashed shortly after takeoff from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, the first ever complete loss of that aircraft type. The accident killed all but one of the 242 occupants of the plane, as well as additional people on the ground when the jet slammed into a densely populated part of the town [3].

The AAIB preliminary report mentioned that Engine 1's fuel cutoff switch transitioned from 'Cutoff' to 'Run', followed by Engine 2 making the same transition. The report also stated that Engine 2 was able to relight but could not arrest the core speed deceleration and repeatedly re-introduced fuel in an attempt to recover. Engine 1’s core deceleration stopped, then reversed, and began progressing toward recovery [4].

The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) has reacted to the preliminary report, raising concerns over the way the investigation is being handled. The union urges the authorities to allow it to join the process to help ensure transparency [5].

The investigation is ongoing, and the AAIB is continuing to examine the evidence, records, and information gathered from the scene of the crash. The complete analysis of postmortem reports of crew and passengers is being taken into account to corroborate aeromedical findings with engineering expertise [4].

References:
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/1lwyl92/preliminary_report_on_air_india_plane_crash/
[2] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india-flight-ai171-crash-read-the-full-report-by-aaib/articleshow/122398075.cms
[3] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-11/air-india-crash-points-to-no-design-faults-on-boeing-aircraft
[4] https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/aaib-releases-prelim-report-on-ai-171-plane-crash-in-ahmedabad-air-india-pilot-asked-another-pilot-why-did-you-cut-off/3911514/
[5] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cx20p2x9093t?page=2