The cause of the Air India passenger plane crash in Ahmedabad has been identified, according to a preliminary investigation report.
The report revealed that the tragic incident occurred due to the shutdown of the fuel supply to both engines. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau stated that both fuel control switches moved to the “cut-off” position within one second of each other.
Cockpit recordings included in the report captured one pilot asking the other, “Why did you cut it off?” to which the co-pilot replied that he did not.
However, the report does not clarify how the switches automatically moved to the “cut-off” position. The interruption in fuel supply led to engine failure, causing the aircraft to descend and crash.
The incident took place in June this year, resulting in the death of 260 passengers, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Rupani. The report does not recommend any immediate action against Boeing or the engine manufacturer but mentions that the complete investigation may take over a year.
Experts called it a rare and unusual occurrence for both engine fuel control switches to malfunction simultaneously. A team of international experts may now be invited for a thorough investigation, during which all flight records and aircraft debris will be further examined.
