Ahmedabad plane crash probe: Here's what Air India said in its first statement after investigation report

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIM) released the investigation report on Saturday (July 12) regarding the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. The probe report revealed some chilling details about the aircraft crash. Meanwhile, just after the probe reports were issued, Air India issued its first statement on the investigation.

Taking to the social media platform X, the airline wrote, Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time."

"We acknowledge receipt of the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) today, 12 July 2025," the post added.

"Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses. Given the active nature of the investigation, we are unable to comment on specific details and refer all such enquiries to the AAIB," it added.

The AI 171 crash in which 260 people were killed, including the medical students of the college where the plane crashed. The preliminary report, around 15 pages, was released a month after the deadly crash. The report has revealed details around all the important aspects of the crash.

What did the probe reveal?

The investigation report revealed that the fuel to both engines of the Boeing 787 aircraft was cut-off mid mid-air just three seconds after the plane took off. "The aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 Knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC, and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec," the report said.

The investigation report also revealed the last moments of the plane, in which the pilot of the aircraft was heard confused in the cockpit voice recording. "In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report read.

Who cut fuel for both engines?

The report said that the engines' fuel switches shifted from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' within seconds of each other after take-off. The CUTOFF angles are the most mysterious puzzle that remains unsolved. If pilots did not cut off the fuel, then how did the fuel supply cut off?

"When fuel control switches are moved from CUTOFF to RUN while the aircraft is in flight, each engine's full authority dual engine control (FADEC) automatically manages a relight and thrust recovery sequence of ignition and fuel introduction," the report said.