Ahmedabad Plane Crash Probe: Black Box Points to Pilot's Action, Focus Shifts to Captain

AHMEDABAD, JULY 17: The investigation into the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash has taken a dramatic turn, with new evidence suggesting the aircraft’s senior pilot may have played a key role in the disaster.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, cockpit recordings from the recovered black box indicate the captain manually turned off the fuel switches just seconds after takeoff. The startling revelation has shifted the focus of the probe toward possible pilot error or misjudgment.

Crash Details:

On June 12, Flight AI171, en route from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, crashed into a medical college building in Ahmedabad’s Meghani Nagar area. The accident claimed over 260 lives, including 241 out of 242 passengers and crew on board, as well as several people on the ground. The only survivor was Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, seated next to an emergency exit.

Preliminary Report Highlights:

A preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), released on July 12, confirmed that the fuel switches were moved to 'cutoff' mode within seconds of takeoff, leading to a power failure and cockpit confusion before the plane crashed into a student hostel.

While the AAIB report did not clearly identify which pilot moved the switches, U.S. investigators cited by The Wall Street Journal said early evidence points to the captain, who allegedly remained calm as the first officer questioned the sudden switch-off.

Technical Checks Reveal No Faults:

In response, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered inspections of Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft fuel control switch locks. Air India completed the checks by July 17, reporting no faults in the locking systems. The airline also confirmed that throttle control modules had already been replaced in line with Boeing’s maintenance guidelines.

Unanswered Questions Remain:

The investigation is ongoing, and it's still unclear whether the captain’s action was intentional or accidental. Authorities continue to analyze the cockpit voice recordings and technical data to determine what led to one of India’s worst aviation tragedies.