Did Air India Pilot Deliberately Crash AI171? Netizens Point to Suicide Theory

A chilling exchange between the two pilots of Air India flight AI171, moments before its tragic crash on June 12, has been revealed in the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The cockpit voice recording captures a critical dialogue as both engines inexplicably lost power.

The crash, which claimed the lives of 260 people including all but one onboard, occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad when the plane plunged into a hostel for medical students.

According to cockpit voice recordings, one pilot asked, "Why did you cut off?" The other replied, "I didn't." The exchange, recorded just after takeoff, has raised urgent questions about whether the fuel shutdown was manually triggered or caused by a mechanical issue.

Data from the EAFR shows the crew attempted to recover immediately. At 08:08:52 UTC, Engine 1's fuel switch was moved back to RUN, initiating the automatic relight sequence. Two seconds later, the auxiliary power unit (APU) inlet door opened-indicating backup systems were activated. By 08:08:56 UTC, Engine 2's fuel switch was also flipped to RUN.

"When fuel control switches are moved from CUTOFF to RUN while the aircraft is inflight, each engine's full authority digital engine control (FADEC) automatically manages a relight and thrust recovery sequence," the AAIB explained.

Engine 1 began to stabilize as its core deceleration stopped and recovery started. Engine 2, however, failed to sustain thrust despite reignition, as repeated fuel reintroduction efforts proved unsuccessful.

At 08:09:05 UTC, one of the pilots issued a "MAYDAY" call. When air traffic control requested the call sign, there was no further response. Six seconds later, at 08:09:11 UTC, the EAFR recording ended. The aircraft, still fully loaded with fuel, crashed outside the airport perimeter and exploded upon impact, killing almost everyone on board and dozens on the ground.

Both pilots-Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (8,200 flight hours) and First Officer Clive Kundar (1,100 hours)-were medically cleared and reported to be well-rested. The report also referred to a prior FAA advisory on Boeing 737 models regarding fuel control switches that could be installed with locking mechanisms disengaged. While not classified as a critical safety risk, the AAIB has not ruled out a design-related issue in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The fuel switches in question are normally kept on throughout the flight and are used to start or shut down the engines or to reset them during specific situations. It remains unclear how or why the switches were turned off, or whether the crew was attempting to restart the engines before the final impact.

The aircraft's emergency power generator, known as the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), was also deployed shortly before the crash, indicating a complete loss of engine power.

However while the AAIB has not confirmed any intentional action, social media users have begun speculating that the first officer may have deliberately triggered the fuel cutoff and taken his own life. Authorities have not commented on these claims, and investigations are still ongoing.

While some users even defended this by saying that pilot refused that he didn't cut off the engine.

So, now the question is- Can both fuel cutoff switches move from RUN to CUTOFF on their own in an Airbus A320?

According to flight data, both engines on the Airbus A320 (VT-ANB) lost power just three seconds after takeoff, with the fuel cutoff switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF-followed by attempts to restart. This sequence of events is extremely rare and technically significant.

The fuel cutoff switches on an Airbus A320 (and similarly on other commercial aircraft such as the Boeing 787) are designed with safety features to prevent accidental movement. They require a deliberate action: the pilot must first lift the switch up and then move it from RUN to CUTOFF or vice versa. This design includes a metal stop lock and guard brackets to avoid inadvertent switching. Therefore, these switches cannot move from RUN to CUTOFF on their own or simply by being bumped; a conscious and deliberate action is necessary to change their position.

However, It must be noted that in 2018, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) advisory cautioning airlines about a potential issue involving the disengagement of the fuel control switch locking mechanism on Boeing 737-family aircraft and other Boeing models, including the 787 Dreamliner.