A month after the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, killing at least 270 people, a preliminary report into India’s worst aviation accident in decades revealed that the engines’ fuel switches flipped from “run” to “shutdown” within seconds of takeoff. The 15-page report was released Saturday morning by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is investigating the accident.
“Why did you interrupt?” one of the pilots was heard asking the other on the cockpit voice recording. The other pilot replied “no.”
The border crossing that interrupted the aircraft’s refueling could be a key piece in a complex puzzle that outlines the events surrounding the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on June 12.
A few moments later, the circuit breakers on both engines of the London-bound plane reactivated. This indicated that the pilots were attempting to save the situation, according to data from the Enhanced Flight Recorder (EAFR). The 787 Dreamliner and other commercial aircraft have more than enough power to handle a single-engine fire, and the pilots are well prepared for such a scenario.
“When the fuel control switches are moved from the shutdown to the run position during flight, the full engine control system (FADEC) automatically manages a series of restarts and the restoration of ignition and fuel injection thrust,” the report said.
However, the EAFR recording stopped a few seconds later. Shortly thereafter, one of the pilots aborted a mayday alert. Air traffic control requested information about the call sign. They received no response, but then saw the aircraft crash outside the airport perimeter.
The fully occupied plane rapidly lost altitude and crashed into a student dormitory, where it exploded. All 242 people on board and approximately 30 on the ground were killed. The plane remained airborne for only 32 seconds.
The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, an experienced flight instructor with 8,200 hours of flight time, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of flight time. The report states that both pilots were in good physical condition, well-rested, and sufficiently experienced.
He stated there was no immediate evidence of sabotage, but referred a prominent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lawyer to a possible fuel switch fault. He issued a press release based on reports from 737 operators that fuel switches had been installed with the ignition interlock disabled. “The incident was not considered hazardous,” he stated.
The report found that the ram air turbine (RAT) was activated immediately after takeoff, according to airport surveillance footage. The RAT is activated in the event of a double fault or a complete electronic or hydraulic failure.
“No significant bird activity was observed near the flight path. The aircraft lost altitude before crossing the airport wall,” the report states.
In the 1980s, a Delta Air Lines Inc. pilot accidentally cut off the fuel supply to the engines of his Boeing 767. In this case, however, he was able to restart them because the plane was flying higher in the air, thus preventing a disaster.
