Air India plane crash: Boeing says it ‘continues to support probe’; after AAIB releases preliminary report outlining final moments

NEW DELHI: Boeing on Saturday said it continues “to support the investigation” into the Air India Flight AI171 crash, shortly after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report on the June 12 tragedy in Ahmedabad.“Our thoughts remain with the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected on the ground in Ahmedabad. We continue to support the investigation and our customer,” the Aircraft manufacturer said in a statement.“We will defer to the AAIB to provide information about AI171, in adherence with the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organisation protocol known as Annex 13,” it added.The crash claimed 260 lives, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground. Only one passenger survived.The 15-page preliminary report indicates that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner suffered a dual engine failure shortly after takeoff, crashing just 90 seconds into flight into a nearby medical hostel complex. The flight was en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick and had 241 people on board.Analysis of the flight recorder data shows that both engines’ fuel cutoff switches were unintentionally shifted from RUN to CUTOFF position within a second of each other shortly after takeoff. The cockpit voice recording captured one pilot questioning, “Why did you cut off?” while the other responded, “I did not.”The sudden power loss activated the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), but the aircraft began descending rapidly as it could not maintain powered flight.The AAIB investigation indicates that the flight crew attempted to restart both engines by reactivating the fuel switches. Whilst Engine 1 showed promising signs of recovery, Engine 2 remained unstable.Despite reaching a maximum speed of 180 knots, the aircraft continued its descent and could not gain altitude. The crew’s final communication was a “MAYDAY” distress signal at 08:09 UTC, moments before the aircraft collided with residential structures beyond the airport boundary.The crash is one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India in recent years. The final investigation report is expected in the next few months.