Report alleges pilot deliberately cut fuel before deadly Air India Flight 171 crash

Investigators examining last year’s deadly Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad have concluded the disaster was caused by the pilot in command deliberately moving both engine fuel control switches to cutoff, according to a report published Thursday.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner lost thrust seconds after takeoff and crashed into a medical student hostel on June 12, 2025, killing 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. The report cites cockpit voice and flight data recordings that allegedly show manual shutdown of both engines despite no evidence of mechanical failure.

Black box data under review: The aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were recovered days after the crash and sent for detailed analysis as part of the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau with technical assistance from U.S. and U.K. authorities. The Boeing 787 was powered by twin engines and equipped with electronically controlled fuel systems that require intentional manual input to change fuel flow settings. Investigators have examined parameters including throttle position, engine core speed and fuel flow rates to determine the sequence of events in the seconds between liftoff and impact.

Mental health scrutiny surfaces: The report also claims that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal had experienced depression in the months before the crash, citing unnamed sources familiar with the inquiry. Sabharwal’s family has publicly rejected assertions about his mental health and called for a fresh and impartial investigation. Pilot associations in India previously objected to earlier reports suggesting pilot responsibility, urging authorities to avoid attributing blame before the final report is issued.

Legal questions emerge: The crash has prompted scrutiny beyond the technical investigation, including reports that Air India has offered financial settlements to some victims’ families. According to separate media accounts, the offers allegedly included provisions limiting the ability to pursue legal action against the airline and the aircraft manufacturer. Air India has not publicly detailed the terms of any such agreements, and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has yet to release its final determination of cause.