How Air India Dreamliner Crash Happened: Full Timeline Before Crash

A fuel cutoff triggered by cockpit controls caused the crash of Air India flight 171 last month, killing 260 people, according to a preliminary investigation. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that both engines lost power seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad. The aircraft crashed into a nearby hospital hostel, killing passengers, crew, and people on the ground.

"The fuel control switches in the cockpit of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner had been flipped, starving the engines of fuel," the report said. These switches, located between the pilots’ seats, are protected by a locking mechanism designed to prevent accidental activation.

The aircraft reached 180 knots just after liftoff when “both engines’ fuel cutoff switches were transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 second,” the report stated. That action immediately cut fuel supply to the engines.

“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report said. Seconds later, both switches were flipped back to “RUN,” and the engines began restarting—but too late to save the flight.

“The aircraft started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall,” the report noted. Airport footage confirmed the emergency Ram Air Turbine deployed during the initial climb, indicating a total loss of engine power.

Timeline: The Final Minutes of Flight AI171

11:17 am: The Boeing 787 lands in Ahmedabad from New Delhi as flight AI423.

1:18:38 pm: The aircraft departs from Bay 34 for its next leg to London.

1:25:15 pm: Crew requests and receives taxi clearance. The aircraft heads toward Runway 23.

1:32:03 pm: Control of the flight transfers from ground to tower.

1:37:33 pm: Air traffic control clears the aircraft for takeoff.

1:37:37 pm: The Dreamliner begins its takeoff roll.

1:38:39 pm: The aircraft lifts off. Systems detect transition to air mode.

1:38:42 pm: Both engines lose fuel as the switches move to “CUTOFF.” Airspeed peaks at 180 knots.

1:38:47 pm: Engines drop below idle speed. RAT deploys for emergency power.

1:38:52 pm: Engine 1 fuel switch reset to “RUN.”

1:38:56 pm: Engine 2 fuel switch reset to “RUN.”

1:39:05 pm: Pilot issues a distress call: “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY.”

1:39:11 pm: All flight data recording stops.

1:44:44 pm: Fire rescue teams leave airport grounds for the crash site.

Condition, Crew, and Key Questions Raised

The findings show that the aircraft was in good shape. Its weight was within limits. The engines were recently installed. The fuel was clean. The flaps were set correctly. The landing gear was down. No birds were reported near the runway.

The captain was 56 years old and had over 15,000 flight hours. The first officer had over 3,400 hours.

Experts say it’s extremely rare for both fuel switches to be turned off by accident. The switches are protected by a metal bar and designed not to move easily.

CNN aviation analyst David Soucie said that the switches don’t move on their own and have been improved over time to prevent mishandling.

Air India released a short statement after the report came out. It said the airline continues to support the investigation and stands with the victims’ families. Flight AI171 was supposed to land in London at 6:25 pm local time on June 12. It never made it past the airport perimeter wall.

The investigation will continue, but the timeline now gives the clearest picture yet of what happened in those final 30 seconds. The crash raised serious questions about cockpit procedures, aircraft systems, and whether human error played a role.

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