Ahmedabad – A London-bound Air India flight, AI171, met with a devastating end just 32 seconds after lifting off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12. A preliminary investigation points to a catastrophic and sudden cutoff of fuel supply to both engines, occurring within a single second, which left the flight crew battling for control in the precious few moments after takeoff.
The ill-fated Dreamliner, registered VT-ANB, had landed in Ahmedabad earlier as AI423 from New Delhi at 11:17 Hrs IST. The chain of events leading to the tragedy began with the aircraft requesting pushback and startup clearance at 13:13:00 Hrs, which was approved by Air Traffic Control (ATC) seconds later. At 13:16:59 Hrs, startup was greenlit. The aircraft then departed from Bay 34 at 13:18:38 Hrs.
Further clearances followed, with the aircraft confirming its need for the full length of Runway 23 at 13:19:12 Hrs, a query from ATC. Taxi clearance was granted at 13:25:15 Hrs, and the aircraft proceeded to Runway 23, backtracking and lining up for takeoff by 13:26:00 Hrs. The aircraft was transferred to tower control at 13:32:03 Hrs, and instructed to line up on Runway 23 at 13:33:45 Hrs.
The pivotal moment arrived at 13:37:37 Hrs when ATC cleared the takeoff, and the takeoff roll commenced simultaneously. The Dreamliner lifted off the runway at 13:38:39 Hrs, reaching a maximum speed of 180 knots just three seconds later. It was at this critical juncture, 13:38:42 Hrs, that disaster struck. Both Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches inexplicably moved from the ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ positions, mere seconds apart, initiating a rapid deceleration as fuel supply ceased. The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) also deployed immediately after lift-off, indicating a loss of primary power.
In the cockpit, a chilling exchange was reportedly captured, with one pilot questioning the other about the fuel cutoff, only to receive a bewildered denial. By 13:38:47 Hrs, both engine N1 and N2 readings had plummeted below minimum idle speed, with the RAT pump activating to provide hydraulic power. A desperate attempt to restore thrust saw Engine 1’s fuel cutoff switch moved back to ‘RUN’ at 13:38:52 Hrs, followed by Engine 2’s at 13:38:56 Hrs. While Engine 1 began to show signs of recovery, Engine 2 remained unresponsive to the reversal.
At 13:39:05 Hrs, a frantic “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY” distress call was issued by one of the pilots. Just six seconds later, at 13:39:11 Hrs, all data recording from the aircraft ceased, marking the tragic end. Rescue and firefighting tenders from the airport finally departed for the crash site at 13:44:44 Hrs, initiating what would be a grim recovery operation. The preliminary report’s findings suggest a terrifying scenario where confused pilots were unable to regain control in the fleeting moments available, leading to the deadly crash.
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