[Source]
Investigators after the fatal Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad last year concluded that the captain deliberately left two engine fuel control switches in the off position to cause the disaster, according to a report released on Thursday.
On June 12, 2025, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner lost thrust seconds after takeoff and crashed into a medical student dormitory, killing 241 people on board and 19 people on the ground. The report cited cockpit voice and flight data records, which it said showed both engines were manually shut down, although there was no evidence of mechanical failure.
Black box data under review: The plane’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were recovered days after the crash and sent for detailed analysis as part of an investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau with technical assistance from US and British authorities. The Boeing 787 is powered by twin engines and features an electronically controlled fuel system that requires intentional manual input to change fuel flow settings. The researchers examined parameters such as throttle position, engine core speed and fuel flow to determine the sequence of events that occurred in the seconds between liftoff and impact.
Mental Health Review Surface: The report also said the captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, had experienced depression in the months before the crash, citing unnamed sources familiar with the investigation. Sabharwal’s family has publicly denied claims about his mental health and called for a new, impartial investigation. The Indian Pilots’ Association had previously objected to an earlier report suggesting pilots were responsible, urging authorities to avoid blaming pilots until a final report is released.
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Legal issues arise: The crash triggered scrutiny beyond a technical investigation, including reports that Air India had offered financial compensation to some of the families of the victims. The proposals are said to include provisions that would limit the ability to take legal action against airlines and aircraft manufacturers, according to different media reports. Air India has not publicly detailed the terms of any such agreement, and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has yet to release its final cause determination.
This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter, a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark that retells our stories and celebrates Asian American voices.
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