“FUEL CUT OFF IN MID-AIR: COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER REVEALS CHILLING EXCHANGE BEFORE AIR INDIA CRASH”
GREATRIBUNTVNEWS–A dramatic exchange between two pilots of an Air India flight has been revealed through a haunting cockpit voice recording. The recording, part of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report, captures the final moments before the plane crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, 2025, claiming 270 lives.
The Fateful Conversation
– *”Why did you cut off the fuel?”*: One pilot urgently asked, moments after the fuel control switches were moved to the “CUTOFF” position.
– *”I didn’t,”*: The other pilot replied, sparking confusion and raising questions about the cause of the crash
Investigation Findings
– *Dual Engine Failure*: Both engines lost power due to fuel starvation, and the pilots attempted to restart them, but it was too late.
– *Ram Air Turbine Deployment*: CCTV footage showed the Ram Air Turbine deploying shortly after takeoff, indicating a catastrophic power failure.
– *No Sabotage or Mechanical Faults*: Investigators have ruled out sabotage and mechanical faults, focusing on the aircraft’s electronic control unit and potential design flaws
Pilot Experience and Training
– *Experienced Pilots*: Captain Sumeet Sabharwal had over 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar had 1,100 hours, with both deemed medically fit and adequately rested.
– *Pilot Union Concerns*: The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA India) has raised concerns about the investigation’s transparency and potential bias towards pilot error
This exchange, heard moments after the pilots had declared an emergency to air traffic control, is shedding new light on the possible cause of the devastating crash.
“Thrust not achieved… falling… Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!” one of the pilots radioed moments before the aircraft plunged from a low altitude of 625 feet into a densely populated area, including part of the BJ Medical College hostel.
Startling Clues Suggest Manual or Malfunction-Induced Fuel Cutoff
Investigators say the plane’s engines were suddenly starved of fuel mid-ascent. Both engine fuel cutoff switches were found to have flipped from RUN to CUTOFF within one second of each other. Aviation experts say such switches are heavily guarded against accidental activation.
“You can’t bump them and they move. Accidental engagement is extremely rare,” said John Cox, a U.S.-based aviation safety expert.
Despite the suspicious sequence, forensic analysis confirmed that the fuel switches were in the RUN position upon impact, and the thrust levers were still set forward — suggesting the pilots were trying to keep the aircraft powered.
Still, CCTV footage from the airport showed the Ram Air Turbine — an emergency power system — deploying shortly after takeoff, indicating a catastrophic power failure.
Mechanical or Sabotage? Investigators Probe Deeper
With no mechanical faults found in the aircraft or its General Electric engines, and with 54,200 kg of verified good-quality fuel onboard, investigators are now looking at the aircraft’s electronic control unit. There’s growing speculation that the fuel cutoff might have been triggered remotely or through a fault in the aircraft’s complex systems.
Capt. Kishore Chinta, a former AAIB investigator, questioned whether an unseen technical fault might have electronically tripped the cutoff switches: “We need to ask if there was any override from the electronic control unit that bypassed manual pilot control.”
Experienced Crew, No Survivors — Except One
The flight was manned by seasoned professionals: Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with over 10,000 flying hours and Co-pilot Clive Kunder with more than 3,400 hours. Both were cleared in pre-flight checks and deemed fully rested.
Tragically, the crash claimed the lives of all passengers and crew onboard, as well as 19 people on the ground — with the sole survivor being a British national who unhooked his seatbelt and escaped through a tear in the fuselage.
As the full investigation continues, families and experts alike are demanding clarity on how a modern jetliner could suffer such a sudden and total loss of power — and whether human error, sabotage, or a rare technical anomaly is to blame
