Pilot confusion over fuel cutoff cited in Air India crash report
Indian authorities released a preliminary report into the crash of Air India Flight 171 on June 12, which killed 260 people.
According to investigators, the Boeing 787 crashed shortly after takeoff, soon after the engine fuel cutoff switches were moved from the "run" position to the "cutoff" position, effectively stopping the flow of fuel to both engines.
The report also said that the pilots can be heard on the cockpit voice recorder, with one asking the other why he moved the switches to the cutoff position, and the other responding that he did not do so. The report did not specify how the switches were moved.
Both switches were subsequently returned to the "run" position, and the engines were beginning their reignition process about 10 seconds before the pilots called out mayday and the crash occurred.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for Paste BN. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.