Confusion in the Cockpit: Unveiling the Fatal Air India Crash

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released a preliminary report on the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, raising concerns over possible pilot confusion regarding the fuel switches of the Boeing 787-8 involved in the accident.

The 15-page document indicates that a recorded exchange between the pilots revealed uncertainty over why the fuel was cut off, ultimately leading to the loss of 261 lives on June 12. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and Co-pilot Clive Kunder, both experienced aviators, piloted the ill-fated aircraft.

While the report provides a sequence of events leading to the 'MAYDAY' distress call shortly after takeoff, it fails to identify who was responsible for switching the fuel controls to the cutoff position, raising more questions about what transpired in the cockpit.

(With inputs from agencies.)