AI-171 Crash: Was There A Sabotage That Led To A Critical Fuel Switch Be Cut Off?

Air India 171 Crash: The shocking crash of Air India flight AI-171, which claimed at least 270 lives on June 12, has taken a chilling turn, as experts point to potential sabotage as a line of investigation.

According to the preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), both engines of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shut down almost immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport. 

Investigators found that the fuel cutoff switches in the cockpit shifted from the “RUN” to the “CUTOFF” position within a second of each other, effectively choking fuel supply to the engines.

Expert: Accidental Shutdown ‘Not Acceptable’

Speaking to Republic, senior aviation expert Minoo Wadia ruled out accidental operation of the switches.

“This particular switch is very important, it cannot be lifted as a normal switch by accident. It has a locking mechanism,” he explained.

“Immediately after takeoff, it is unimaginable why any pilot would touch these switches. The only scenario is if the engines had already flamed out and the pilots tried cycling the switches off and on again to regain power,” he said.

Wadia also pointed out that the aircraft’s fuel system is a complex network of components and valves, and a malfunction “could have occurred elsewhere, beyond the cockpit controls.”

Sabotage a Possibility Despite No Evidence Yet

Crucially, Wadia did not rule out sabotage, cautioning that investigators must keep this angle open, “There is a very possible chance that there could have been sabotage, although there is no evidence so far. These areas need to be studied.” 

He added that sabotage may not require an external cyberattack but could be embedded within aircraft systems by a specialist.