On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed moments after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, killing 241 of the 242 passengers and crew on board and 19 people on the ground. The catastrophic incident, marking the deadliest aviation disaster involving an Indian airline in nearly four decades, has left investigators, families, and the global aviation community grappling for answers. A preliminary report released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on July 11, 2025, revealed a shocking detail: the fuel control switches for both engines were moved to the “cutoff” position seconds after takeoff, leading to a loss of thrust and the aircraft’s rapid descent into a densely populated residential area. This revelation has prompted intense scrutiny of the pilots’ actions, with their medical records now being examined over concerns about mental health, raising critical questions about aviation safety, pilot behavior, and systemic oversight.

The Crash: A Tragic Sequence of Events

Air India Flight 171 took off normally at approximately 8:08 a.m. UTC on June 12, 2025, reaching a maximum recorded airspeed of 180 knots and an altitude of roughly 400 feet. However, just three seconds after takeoff, the engine fuel control switches transitioned from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within one second of each other, starving the aircraft’s two GE GEnx-1B engines of fuel and causing an immediate loss of thrust. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner began to lose altitude, and despite efforts to restore power, it crashed into a medical hostel complex at BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad’s Meghani Nagar, resulting in a fireball explosion that destroyed five buildings. Only one passenger, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national seated in seat 11A, survived the inferno, described as a “miracle man” after escaping through a rupture in the fuselage.

Cockpit voice recordings recovered from the aircraft’s black boxes reveal a moment of confusion between the two pilots. One pilot is heard asking, “Why did you cut off?” to which the other responded, “I didn’t.” The report does not specify whether the captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, or the first officer, Clive Kunder, made these remarks, nor does it clarify who transmitted the distress call—“Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”—just before the crash. The switches were flipped back to the “RUN” position within seconds, triggering an automatic engine relight sequence. One engine began regaining thrust, but the other had not yet recovered power by the time the aircraft struck the ground, less than a minute after takeoff.

The Pilots: Experienced Aviators Under the Spotlight

The commanding pilot, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, was a seasoned aviator with over 15,638 hours of flying experience, including more than 8,200 hours on the Boeing 787. He was also an Air India instructor, underscoring his expertise. The first officer, Clive Kunder, 32, had 3,403 hours of flying experience, with 1,128 hours as a 787 co-pilot. Kunder, who was flying the aircraft during takeoff while Sabharwal monitored, came from a family with deep aviation ties; his mother was a flight crew member, and he had trained at Mumbai’s Bombay Flying Club before joining Air India in 2017. Both pilots had passed mandatory Class I medical exams within the past two years, underwent breathalyzer tests before the flight, and were deemed fit to operate with adequate rest periods.

Despite their qualifications, the investigation has turned its focus to the pilots’ medical records, particularly those of Captain Sabharwal, following claims of mental health concerns. Reports indicate that Sabharwal had taken bereavement leave after the death of his mother, and aviation safety expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan has alleged that “several” Air India pilots confirmed Sabharwal had struggled with depression. These claims, reported by sources such as the Daily Daily, have fueled speculation about his mental state at the time of the crash. However, colleagues described Sabharwal as a “thorough gentleman” who was considering early retirement to care for his 90-year-old father, casting doubt on narratives suggesting deliberate misconduct. The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA-I) has rejected suggestions of pilot error as premature, calling for a “fair, fact-based inquiry” and criticizing the investigation’s tone as biased.

The Fuel Switches: An Unlikely Accident

The movement of the fuel control switches lies at the heart of the investigation. These switches, located in the cockpit’s throttle control module between the pilots, are designed with safety features to prevent accidental activation. To move a switch from “RUN” to “CUTOFF,” a pilot must lift it upward to unlock it and then shift it to the desired position, a deliberate two-step process. Protective guard brackets further shield the switches from unintended bumps. Experts, including U.S. aviation safety specialist John Cox and Professor Graham Braithwaite of Cranfield University, have emphasized that it is “almost impossible” to accidentally flip both switches simultaneously with one hand, particularly given their spacing in the cockpit.

The preliminary report notes that the switches were moved to “CUTOFF” one second apart, a timing that aligns with a deliberate sequential action rather than a mechanical fault. The report also references a 2018 U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) highlighting potential disengagement of the locking feature on similar Boeing 737 fuel switches, which share the same design as those on the 787. However, Air India did not conduct inspections, as the SAIB was advisory, not mandatory, and the aircraft’s throttle module had been replaced in 2019 and 2023 with no reported issues. The absence of mechanical failures, bird strikes, or fuel contamination further narrows the investigation to human factors.

Mental Health in Aviation: A Growing Concern

The examination of Captain Sabharwal’s medical records has reignited discussions about mental health in aviation, a historically stigmatized issue. Pilots are subject to rigorous medical evaluations, including psychological assessments, but critics argue that these checks may not always detect underlying issues, particularly when pilots fear professional repercussions for disclosing mental health struggles. Captain Ranganathan’s claim that the fuel switch movement “had to be done manually” has led to speculation about intentional action, though he noted Sabharwal was “medically cleared” by Air India. This raises questions about the adequacy of mental health screenings and the pressures faced by pilots, particularly in high-stakes roles like that of an instructor.

The aviation industry has faced similar controversies in the past. The 2015 Germanwings Flight 9525 crash, in which a co-pilot deliberately crashed the plane into the Alps, prompted global reforms to mental health protocols for pilots. However, implementing robust mental health support while maintaining operational efficiency remains a challenge. The Air India crash underscores the need for transparent, non-punitive reporting systems to encourage pilots to seek help without fear of career-ending consequences.

Families and Public Reaction: A Demand for Answers

The preliminary report has left victims’ families frustrated and demanding greater transparency. Sameer Rafik, whose cousin Faizan died in the crash, told the BBC he distrusts the report’s findings, arguing that the pilots’ experience—over 19,000 combined hours—makes an error like flipping the fuel switches implausible. Dr. Mario Donadi, a colleague of victim Dr. Prateek Joshi, called the report a “slap in the face,” expressing disbelief that “something so trivial as a simple switch” could cause such devastation. Ayushi Christian, whose husband died in the crash, has called for justice and accountability, urging the Indian government to take action.

The public outcry has been amplified by social media, with posts on X speculating about deliberate actions and mental health issues, though such claims remain unverified. One post suggested the crash was intentional, citing the pilot’s alleged psychiatric treatment, but these assertions lack conclusive evidence and have been criticized by ALPA-I as speculative. The Indian government and Air India have pledged full cooperation with the investigation, but the lack of a clear explanation has fueled distrust among grieving families.

Investigation Challenges and Next Steps

The AAIB’s investigation has faced criticism for its slow pace and limited transparency. U.S. investigators reportedly considered withdrawing from the probe due to delays in accessing black box data, though they ultimately remained involved. The inclusion of an observer from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was a rare step, reflecting the crash’s global significance. The preliminary report, mandated within 30 days under Indian aviation rules, provides no conclusive cause, and a final report is not expected for at least a year. Ongoing efforts include forensic analysis of fuel samples, post-mortem reports, and further examination of the black boxes, which record 25 hours of data and 300 parameters.

Aviation experts, including Peter Goelz, former NTSB managing director, have called for cockpit video recorders to provide visual evidence of pilot actions, a measure long resisted due to privacy concerns. The current reliance on voice recordings leaves critical gaps, as investigators have yet to identify which pilot spoke or acted in the cockpit. The absence of mechanical issues and the deliberate nature of the switch movement have shifted attention to human factors, but experts caution against premature conclusions.

Air India and Industry Implications

The crash poses a significant challenge for Air India, which was acquired by the Tata Group in 2022 with ambitions to modernize its fleet and restore its reputation. The airline has faced additional scrutiny over maintenance practices, with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency investigating its budget carrier, Air India Express, for unrelated compliance issues. The tragedy has also renewed focus on Boeing, though the preliminary report found no evidence of design flaws or mechanical failures in the 787 Dreamliner, the first fatal crash involving this model.

As the investigation continues, the aviation industry faces broader questions about pilot training, mental health support, and cockpit safety features. The Air India Flight 171 disaster serves as a stark reminder of the catastrophic consequences of even momentary lapses in a high-stakes environment. For the families of the 260 victims, the search for answers is not just about closure but about ensuring such a tragedy never happens again.