Chilling Cockpit Exchange Unveiled in Air India Crash Investigation

A recent report has unveiled the chilling final moments of the Air India flight that tragically crashed last month, resulting in the loss of 270 lives. The official report, released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, details the conversation held in the cockpit just before the catastrophic event. Data recovered from the black box confirms that the aircraft plummeted and collided with a structure shortly after departing from Ahmedabad's airport.

one pilot asked the other "why did you cut off?" The other pilot responded that he did not do so.

The report further states that one of the pilots transmitted "Thrust not achieved... falling... MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY." Air traffic control attempted to respond but received no answer, witnessing the crash outside the airport. This exchange has raised questions within the aviation community, particularly regarding how the fuel switches could have been accidentally flipped mid-flight. These switches are designed to be highly reliable and prevent unintentional activation, requiring an upward pull before being flipped and featuring protective guard brackets. Experts have noted the unlikelihood of accidentally activating both switches simultaneously.

The report also indicates that the jet carried an appropriate amount of fuel, and fuel samples were satisfactory. The aircraft reached a maximum recorded airspeed before the engine fuel cutoff switches transitioned to the cutoff position. The engines' power decreased as fuel supply was cut off. The report does not explain how the switches, typically left on during flight, could have been turned off. The initial findings focus on the inexplicable turning off of the engine fuel flow switches, leading to a loss of thrust. The plane's emergency-power generator was triggered moments before the crash, which resulted in the deaths of nearly all passengers. The flight crashed into a medical college complex shortly after takeoff.