The Switch That Silenced a Sky — How 260 Lives Were Lost in India’s Flight AI171 Tragedy as New Report Surfaced.

The Switch That Silenced a Sky — How 260 Lives Were Lost in India’s Flight AI171 Tragedy as New Report Surfaced.

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On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171 crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

The aircraft was en route to Dubai.

The accident claimed 260 lives — 241 passengers and crew onboard, plus 19 civilians on the ground who were not part of the flight, mostly students and staff from BJ Medical College hostel, as the plane crashed onto the rooftop of their facility.

Amid the tragedy, one man survived: British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated near an emergency exit, who escaped with burns and shock.

On July 12, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released a preliminary report revealing a disturbing cause: both fuel control switches were manually flipped from “RUN” to “CUTOFF,” instantly cutting fuel to both engines.

These switches are protected by locks and require deliberate movement.

Meaning, someone physically shut off the aircraft’s power mid-flight.

Cockpit audio captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” and the other replying, “I didn’t.”

Despite efforts to restore thrust, there was no altitude left to recover.

The aircraft plunged into residential streets and a college hostel, killing 19 civilians on impact.

The devastation spread far beyond the cabin.

The report does not yet name who moved the switches or why, but confirms the disaster was human-triggered.

This accident could have been avoided. Investigators urge serious reforms in cockpit design, safety protocol, and crew training.

As the search for answers continues, this stands as one of India’s most catastrophic aviation events — and a grim reminder of how one deliberate act can cost hundreds of lives.

See part of the preliminary report below, courtesy of Aviation Source via X.

Yetunde B reports for Yeyetunde’s Blog.

The AAIB preliminary report into crash of Air India flight AI171 found that both engine fuel control switches had been set to CUTOFF momentarily before the crash.

CVR recordings captured one pilot asking the other why he cut off fuel. The other pilot responded that he did not do… pic.twitter.com/PUVPym0hNq

— AviationSource (@AvSourceNews) July 12, 2025

Image / Aviationsource / X 

Image / John Ogunlela /Facebook