In the final moments before Air India Flight AI171 plunged into a residential complex near Ahmedabad airport on 12 June 2025, one pilot asked the other a question that has since become the haunting core of this aviation mystery:
“Why did you cutoff?”
The response was immediate and chilling:
“I didn’t do so.”
Those five words, captured on the cockpit voice recorder, are now the center of an investigation into one of the most catastrophic and unexplained dual-engine shutdowns in modern aviation. This is a minute-by-minute account of what unfolded.
A Normal Start to a Routine Flight
05:47 UTC
VT-ANB, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, landed in Ahmedabad from Delhi as Flight AI423. A minor status message about the stabilizer position transducer (STAB POS XDCR) was logged by the previous crew, but maintenance engineers cleared the aircraft for its next sector after following standard troubleshooting procedures.
07:43
The flight crew — an experienced captain and co-pilot — requested pushback for AI171 to London Gatwick. Weather was clear. The aircraft was loaded with 230 passengers, including two infants, and the takeoff weight was well within limits.
08:07:33
The aircraft was cleared for takeoff from Runway 23. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.
The Flight That Never Climbed
08:07:37
AI171 began its takeoff roll. The co-pilot was flying the aircraft, with the captain monitoring. Acceleration was smooth. Calculated takeoff speeds were V1 at 153 knots, Vr at 155 knots, and V2 at 162 knots.
08:08:33
The aircraft reached V1: the point of no return.
08:08:35
Vr speed achieved. The nose lifted off the runway.
08:08:39
Liftoff. The Dreamliner was airborne, climbing away as expected.
08:08:42
Just three seconds later, disaster began.
Both fuel control switches which control the flow of fuel to the engines, moved from RUN to CUTOFF, one second apart. This effectively shut down both engines at full thrust, while the aircraft was still in initial climb, barely above the ground.
“Why Did You Cutoff?”
[After 08:08:43 But no exact timestamp provided]
In the cockpit, one pilot asks the other:
“Why did you cutoff?”
The other replied:
“I didn’t do so.”
This brief exchange, preserved by the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder, has become one of the most significant clues in the investigation. It strongly suggests that the shutdown was not the result of a deliberate pilot action or standard operating procedure, as some commentators had speculated following early press reports based on leaked findings.
The cause of the fuel switch movement remains unknown, and investigators have not yet indicated whether a technical fault, design anomaly, or crew error may have played a role.
Desperate Recovery Attempts
08:08:47
With the main engines no longer generating power, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) that was deployed automatically, started to provide minimal hydraulic power. The aircraft was now without thrust and rapidly losing altitude.
08:08:52–08:08:56
The flight crew attempted to restart the engines. The fuel control switches were moved back to RUN, and the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) began its auto-start sequence — both consistent with emergency recovery protocols.
- Engine 1 began to recover.
- Engine 2 attempted multiple relights but could not regain core speed.
08:09:05
A MAYDAY call was transmitted. Seconds later, communication went silent.
Impact
08:09:11
The forward flight recorder stopped. The aircraft, unable to maintain lift, descended into the BJ Medical College hostel complex, just 0.9 NM from the end of the runway.
Haunting Echoes
The phrase “Why did you cutoff?” now lingers as both a technical and human question: one that encapsulates the shock, confusion, and urgency that marked the final seconds of AI171. The crash timeline in the preliminary report has confirmed that the engines shut down following fuel switch transitions, but why they moved remains unknown.
The investigation continues. The wreckage has been secured. Engine data is under analysis. Fuel has been ruled out as a factor. And yet, the question remains unanswered for now.
Source: AAIB Preliminary Report
Image: AAIB – Vertical Stabilizer adjacent to Building A
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