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Ahmedabad, India – July 12, 2025: The tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad last month has left investigators and the public grappling with a haunting mystery. A preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) revealed chilling details from the cockpit voice recorder, where one pilot is heard asking, “Why did you cut off fuel?” to which the other responds, “I didn’t.” The question remains: if neither pilot cut the fuel, who—or what—did?
On June 12, 2025, the Air India flight, carrying 174 passengers and crew, crashed just seconds after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft struck a building on the campus of BJ Medical College, just outside the airport perimeter, killing all on board and several people on the ground. The disaster has sparked widespread grief and intense scrutiny as investigators work to uncover the cause.
A Sudden Loss of Power
According to the AAIB’s preliminary report, released on July 11, the plane’s two engines lost power just three seconds after lifting off. The report states that the fuel control switches for both engines moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” one after another, with a one-second gap, starving the engines of fuel. This caused a complete loss of thrust, sending the aircraft plummeting.
At 1:39:12 p.m., only 30 seconds after takeoff, one pilot issued a desperate “MAYDAY” call. When air traffic control asked for the flight’s call sign, there was no response. The black box stopped recording at 1:39:11 p.m., just 17 seconds after the fuel supply was restored, but it was too late—the plane had already lost too much altitude to recover.
The Pilots’ Final Words
The cockpit voice recorder captured a brief but chilling exchange between the pilots. One asked, “Why did you cut off?” to which the other replied, “I didn’t do so.” The AAIB has not released the full transcript or identified which pilot spoke, but the conversation suggests neither was responsible for the fuel cutoff. This has fueled speculation about what could have caused the switches to move.
Theories and Questions
The abrupt and unexplained fuel cutoff has led to several theories. Some experts point to a possible mechanical or electrical fault in the aircraft’s systems. Others have raised the possibility of human error, though the pilots’ conversation casts doubt on this. Posts on social media platforms, including X, have speculated about more sinister causes, such as sabotage or a cyberattack, though no evidence supports these claims at this stage.
One aviation expert, Saligram J. Murlidhar, a former deputy director at India’s National Aerospace Laboratories, suggested fuel contamination could be a factor, potentially even deliberate. However, the AAIB has not confirmed this, and investigations are ongoing.
What Happens Next?
The AAIB is analyzing the flight data recorder and other evidence to determine why the fuel switches moved. Boeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft, and Air India have not been implicated in the preliminary findings, but the investigation is far from over. The tragedy has raised questions about aviation safety protocols and the need for advanced safeguards to prevent such incidents.
As families mourn their loved ones and the world watches for answers, the mystery of Flight AI171 remains unsolved. Was it a technical glitch, human error, or something else entirely? For now, the chilling words of the pilots echo as a reminder of the stakes in unraveling this tragedy.
This article is based on preliminary findings from the AAIB and public discussions. Investigations are ongoing, and no final conclusions have been reached.
