India’s Deadliest Air Crash: Fuel Switch Mystery and Pilot Controversy | AAIB Report Explained
The devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad, resulting in the loss of 260 lives, remains shrouded in mystery despite the release of a preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
The report, released days after India's worst aviation disaster in recent years, has focused attention on the actions of the pilots in the moments leading up to the crash. A crucial audio snippet from the cockpit recording reveals a conversation between the pilots concerning the fuel control switches being inadvertently moved to the "cut-off" position, halting fuel supply to the engines shortly after take-off.
The AAIBs report highlights the unusual nature of the fuel switch movement. Aviation experts confirm these switches possess stop locks, requiring a deliberate action to change their position, making accidental movement highly improbable.
The report states that both switches were subsequently moved back to the "run" position, a clear attempt to restore power, but this occurred too late and at too low an altitude for recovery. The fact that the switches were found in the "run" position in the wreckage further underscores the timeline of events.