The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its preliminary report on the tragic crash of Air India’s B787-8 aircraft (registration VT-ANB), which took place on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff for London Gatwick. The aircraft, operating as Flight AI171, crashed at approximately 08:09 UTC, just moments after becoming airborne.
According to the initial findings, the aircraft reached its peak airspeed of 180 knots at 08:08:42 UTC. Shockingly, within seconds, both Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” — effectively shutting down fuel supply and initiating power loss. The engine shutoffs occurred one second apart. Notably, cockpit voice recordings captured a moment where one pilot questioned the other about the shutdown, to which the latter replied that he hadn’t done it.
Investigators say the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed immediately after liftoff, indicating a serious system failure. Airport CCTV footage showed no evidence of bird strike. By the time the aircraft reached the edge of the airport perimeter, it had already started losing altitude. Despite attempts to relight both engines, only partial recovery was seen in Engine 1 while Engine 2 failed to regain full power.
A distress “Mayday” call was transmitted at 08:09:05 UTC, but Air Traffic Control did not receive any response before the plane crashed into buildings near the BJ Medical College hostel, 0.9 nautical miles from the runway. The aircraft was destroyed on impact, which also caused severe damage to five buildings and resulted in multiple fatalities, including citizens from the UK, Portugal, and Canada.
The AAIB team, along with DGCA officials, and international representatives from NTSB-USA, Boeing, GE, FAA, and AAIB-UK, have been actively involved in the ongoing investigation. Subject matter experts in aviation medicine, psychology, engineering, and flight recording have also been roped in.
Key points from the report:
- Accident timing: Occurred just after takeoff at 08:09 UTC.
- Fuel switch anomaly: Both engines shut off sequentially, without pilot command.
- Cockpit voice recordings: Captured confusion between pilots over the engine cutoff.
- No bird activity: CCTV footage confirms no bird hit near the aircraft path.
- Crash site impact: Aircraft hit multiple buildings and fragmented mid-air; debris was scattered across 1,000 ft x 400 ft area.
- Flight crew & load: 230 passengers and 12 crew members were onboard; aircraft was within allowed takeoff weight.
- Flight data: EAFR data revealed complete flight sequence, confirming switch transition events and relight attempts.
- Maintenance status: All airworthiness directives and advisories were in compliance; MEL items active but within valid period.
- Fuel quality: Samples from bowsers and tanks met required standards.
The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered from the wreckage and sent to Delhi for further analysis. Data from the forward EAFR has already been downloaded, revealing approximately 49 hours of flight data, including the event flight. The rear recorder was extensively damaged and is under further forensic inspection.
No technical directives or warnings have been issued yet for Boeing 787-8 aircraft or GE GEnx-1B engines following this incident. The investigation remains active as more evidence is being collected and reviewed, including postmortem reports and technical records.
This preliminary report sheds light on several critical moments leading up to the crash, but the exact cause behind the unintended engine shutdown remains unclear. A final report will be issued upon completion of the investigation.
