Air India crash report: Fuel was cut off to plane seconds after takeoff

Indian Prime Minister meets with plane crash survivor

Indian investigators on Friday recovered the digital flight data recorder, or the black box, of the Air India flight that fell from the sky and killed 241 people on board and several people on the ground, authorities said. Matthew "Whiz" Buckley, a former American Airlines pilot joined LiveNOW's Josh Breslow to talk about the latest developments.

The Air India plane that crashed last month had its engine fuel cut off shortly after takeoff, something aviation experts say is "absolutely bizarre."

The Air India flight — a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — crashed on June 12 and killed at least 260 people, including 19 on the ground, in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad. Only one passenger survived the crash, which is one of India’s worst aviation disasters. The plane was carrying 230 passengers — 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian — along with 12 crew members.

The preliminary investigation report was issued early Saturday by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. 

Forensic experts and DGCA officials searching for evidence at Air India Plane crash site, on June 13, 2025 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Raju Shinde/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Air India plane crash report 

What we know:

The fuel control switches for the engines were moved from the "run" to the "cutoff" position moments before the plane crashed, which starved both engines of fuel. The fight was only in the air for about 30 seconds between takeoff and crash. 

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Once the aircraft achieved its top recorded speed, "the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another" within a second. 

Both pilots were confused by the switch setting, the report said. The pilots flipped the switches back into the run position, but the plane could not gain power quickly enough to stop its descent after the aircraft had begun to lose altitude.

Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India plane crash, speaks with doctors from a hospital bed (Indian Home Minister Amit Shah)

In the flight’s final moment, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said.

 "One of the pilots transmitted ‘MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY’."

What we don't know:

It’s unclear why the fuel switch moved from "run" to "cutoff."

What they're saying:

"Unfortunately, the altitude was so low that the engines were only beginning to recover and they didn’t have enough time," Terry Tozer, aviation expert and former airline pilot, told Sky News.

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He said the engine fuel switches being switched to off "only seconds after liftoff, is absolutely bizarre."

What’s next for Boeing? 

What's next:

The preliminary report did not recommend any actions for Boeing, which said in a statement that it "stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau."

"Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad," the statement added.

India’s civil aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, said the report’s findings were preliminary and one should not "jump into any conclusions on this."

"Let us wait for the final report," Naidu told reporters.

Air India, in a statement, said it is fully cooperating with authorities investigating the crash.

"Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses," it said.