Air India crash: 5 key questions the preliminary report still doesn’t answer

New Delhi, July 14, 2025: India’s preliminary investigation into last month’s Air India crash in Ahmedabad has confirmed that two fuel cut-off switches were moved during takeoff, leading to a crash just 32 seconds after takeoff. But while the report reconstructs what happened technically, several critical questions remain unanswered.

Here’s what the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has—and hasn’t—told us so far.

1. Who turned off the fuel switches—and why?

The report confirms that both fuel switches in the cockpit were turned off, causing a sudden loss of engine thrust. But it does not explain who in the cockpit flipped the switches, or what prompted the action during a critical phase of flight.

There is a brief exchange mentioned—one pilot asking the other, “Why did you turn them off?”—but no clarity is provided on the response or decision-making.

2. Why was there a delay in switching them back on?

While the switches were turned off in just one second, it took 10 seconds to turn the first one back on and another 4 seconds for the second.

By then, it was too late to regain enough thrust to prevent the crash. The report does not address the delay, nor whether cockpit confusion or lack of coordination played a role.

3. What exactly happened in the cockpit?

Beyond the brief mention of a question exchanged between the pilots, no full cockpit voice transcript has been released. There's no insight into crew communication, decision-making, or whether any standard operating procedures were missed or misunderstood.

Without more detail, it's unclear whether the action was accidental, miscommunicated, or part of a larger procedural lapse.

4. Were there any simulator or training gaps?

The pilots involved had valid licenses and had passed pre-flight breathalyser and medical checks. But the report does not explore whether there were gaps in training, particularly for handling critical failures during takeoff.

Clive Kunder, the pilot flying as per the AAIB report, had around 1,100 flight hours on the Boeing 787. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was monitoring the flight, was more senior. Yet the dynamics between the two during the incident remain unexamined.

5. Was cockpit automation involved in any way?

The report focuses on human input—fuel switches turned off and then re-engaged. But it’s still unclear whether automated systems played any role, either in triggering or failing to override the issue. The report does not confirm or rule out whether automation warnings were issued or ignored.

What we do know so far

The AAIB has confirmed there were:

• No mechanical or maintenance issues

• No abnormalities in takeoff roll or fuel quality

• No pilot medical or sobriety concerns

• No need for urgent action from Boeing or GE Aerospace, the aircraft and engine manufacturers

“It provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions,” said Air India CEO Campbell Wilson in a staff memo, seen by Bloomberg, acknowledging the limitations of the preliminary findings.

The investigation is still ongoing, and Air India has not issued an official public statement.

For now, while the technical trigger has been identified, the underlying causes—human, procedural, or systemic—remain unexplained.