Air India crash investigators are probing tech snags and an unexplained fuel switch cut-off. Could electrical or software failure be the root cause?
Global Eye : The debris of the crashed Air India aircraft in Ahmedabad being removed.
🕵️♂️ Investigators Probe Un-commanded Fuel Cut-off in Deadly Air India Crash
On June 12, 2025, tragedy struck when Air India flight AI-171 crashed less than a minute after take-off from Ahmedabad, en route to London Gatwick, killing 260 people, including 241 passengers.
Now, investigators are focusing on a possible tech-induced fuel cut-off, exploring whether a malfunction in sensors or electrical software may have triggered “un-commanded” transitions in the cockpit—actions that neither pilot initiated.
This case has raised serious concerns over aircraft automation, the reliability of sensor systems, and how critical cockpit components could misfire without pilot input.
⚠️ What Happened on June 12? A Timeline of the Crash
According to initial findings from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB):
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner successfully lifted off from the runway after executing standard procedures: yoke pullback, flap extension, and throttle adjustment.
The aircraft reached Vr (rotation speed) and switched sensor mode to “air”.
Seconds later, the fuel control switches transitioned to ‘cut-off’ mode.
The engines shut down, leading to a loud bang and deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) — a device that generates emergency power.
The plane gained only 625 feet of altitude before plummeting, well below the safe threshold (3,600–4,900 ft) needed for an emergency Mayday landing.
Cockpit voice recordings reveal one pilot questioning the other about cutting off the fuel. The reply:
“I didn’t do that.”
This chilling exchange has become the center of a high-stakes aviation investigation.
🔧 Hours Before the Crash: Stabilizer Sensor Defect Reported
Shockingly, a pilot flying the same aircraft just hours before the fatal crash, on a Delhi–Ahmedabad leg, logged a Stabilizer Position Transducer Defect in the aircraft’s technical logbook.
🔍 What is a Stabilizer Position Transducer?
This critical sensor:
Monitors the pitch of the aircraft (nose-up or nose-down movements).
Converts mechanical stabilizer movements into electrical signals for the flight control system.
Ensures pilot inputs are accurately interpreted and executed.
If faulty, it may send incorrect pitch signals, potentially causing:
Unintended aircraft behavior
Incorrect thrust commands
Even false signals leading to fuel cut-off
While officials stress this specific malfunction didn’t directly cause the crash, they admit it could have contributed to multiple sensor failures.
📚 History of Snags: A Troubled Aircraft?
This wasn’t an isolated issue. Officials revealed that the aircraft had a history of technical malfunctions, including:
📅 Previous Incidents:
December 12, 2024: AI-171 (same flight number) couldn’t take off from Ahmedabad to Gatwick due to a massive unresolved electrical snag.
2015: The same aircraft made an emergency landing due to a Cabin Air Compressor (CAC) surge — a known fault in the Boeing 787-8 model.
Recent Weeks:
False fuel system warning
Electrical snags leading to a flight cancellation
Investigators are examining the entire technical history of the aircraft, with a focus on the “trail of errors” logged over the past year.
Global Eye : Families of victims of the Air India plane crash at the DNA testing centre in Ahmedabad.
🧠 The FADEC Factor: Brain of the Aircraft Under Scrutiny
At the core of the investigation lies the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system — the microprocessor-driven “brain” that controls:
Fuel flow
Thrust commands
Engine health monitoring
Could FADEC Have Glitched?
Officials are examining whether:
Sensor data misled FADEC into cutting fuel supply.
Microprocessor bugs led to misinterpreted commands.
Software malfunction or electrical failure caused automatic disengagement of switch locks.
FADEC typically auto-relights engines after failure — but not without fuel. In this case, the fuel switches had already transitioned to ‘cut-off’, making relighting impossible.
“The pilots did attempt to cycle the switches back to run mode, but there was no altitude buffer,” an investigator said.
🧾 Black Box & Flight Data Recorder: What It Reveals
The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) captured electrical signals, not the physical positions of the cockpit controls.
What FDR Shows:
Electrical transition of fuel switches
Deployment of RAT
System warnings logged before and during the incident
What It Doesn’t Show:
Manual movement of switches
Mechanical failures, if any
Actual hand motions or pilot intent
This makes determining whether the actions were manual or automatic especially difficult—highlighting a critical blind spot in aircraft diagnostics.
👤 The Lone Survivor’s Account: 40 Seconds of Horror
The only survivor, Viswashkumar Ramesh (Seat 11A), has become a key eyewitness in the probe.
His testimony:
“There was a loud bang seconds after take-off.”
Cabin lights flickered between green and white.
The aircraft felt like it stalled.
He heard engine revving — “like the pilots were giving race” — before the final crash.
His 40-second flight aligns with the technical data suggesting engine failure and futile attempts to regain thrust.
⚖️ Bigger Questions: System Error or Human Error?
The probe is also considering whether:
The engine control switch locks disengaged due to an anomaly.
The cockpit crew’s response time was affected by automation lag.
A software bug caused the FADEC to behave erratically, overriding human commands.
Importantly, no medical concerns have surfaced regarding the pilots. They were experienced and well-rested.
✈️ Expert Insight: Is Automation Becoming a Double-Edged Sword?
Aviation analysts believe the incident raises alarm bells over the growing complexity and opacity of AI-driven systems in modern aircraft.
“We’re reaching a point where pilots are relying more on software than ever before. But when that software fails or misinterprets input, it’s nearly impossible to react fast enough,” says Captain Arjun Malhotra, retired aviation safety expert.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, though highly advanced, is also notorious for its reliance on FADEC and software integration — making mechanical override difficult in emergencies.
📌 Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call for Aviation Safety
The June 12 Air India crash is more than just a tragic accident — it’s a wake-up call for regulators, aircraft manufacturers, and airlines alike.
As investigators dive deeper into:
The sensor trail
The FADEC logic
The aircraft’s technical logs
… the world watches closely. Because at stake isn’t just the truth behind a tragedy, but the future of trust in modern aviation technology.
