In a stunning revelation that could redefine the course of the Air India Flight 171 crash investigation, leading aviation expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan has suggested that the tragic disaster might have been a deliberate act—possibly even a case of pilot suicide. His remarks come a day after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report on the June 12 crash that killed 260 people.
Fuel switches turned off manually: Expert
The AAIB’s initial findings confirmed that the Dreamliner’s fuel control switches were both moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within a second of each other—causing the aircraft to lose power and crash 32 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad. The flight, en route to London Gatwick, was India’s worst aviation disaster in decades.
Captain Ranganathan told NDTV that such a fuel cutoff is “not accidental” and that the Boeing 787’s systems are built specifically to prevent inadvertent shutdowns due to turbulence or power failure. “It has to be manually done,” he said, asserting that the switches require deliberate human action.
Cockpit voice recorder raises disturbing questions
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR), according to sources cited by Captain Ranganathan, captured a tense exchange in the final moments:
“Why did you do it?”
“I did not do it.”
He questioned the AAIB’s reluctance to name which pilot made the statement and raised concerns of a possible “cover-up.”
The preliminary report identifies First Officer Clive Kunder as the pilot flying and Captain Sumeet Sabharwal as the pilot monitoring. Ranganathan pointed out that standard aviation procedures mean the pilot flying would have both hands on the controls during takeoff—making it more likely that the pilot monitoring executed the fuel cutoff.
Mental health concerns and procedural lapses
The veteran pilot also cited information allegedly provided by serving Air India crew about a possible history of medical issues involving one of the pilots, including a period of extended leave. While both pilots were declared medically fit, Captain Ranganathan urged authorities to delve into their psychological history and stress levels in the lead-up to the flight.
He warned that despite repeated alerts, India’s aviation sector lacks adequate mental health protocols. “No airline in India maintains a psychiatric profile of its pilots during medical evaluations,” he said, warning that fatigue and psychological stress are often ignored by authorities.
Drawing parallels with past aviation tragedies such as the Germanwings 9525 and SilkAir 185 crashes—both linked to suspected pilot suicide—Ranganathan argued that the possibility of a deliberate act in the AI171 case should not be ruled out.
Government urges caution as final report awaited
In response to the remarks, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu called for patience and restraint, stating that the AAIB’s preliminary report should not be treated as conclusive. “Let us not jump to conclusions. We must wait for the final report,” he said, reaffirming his confidence in the integrity and professionalism of Indian flight crews.
Meanwhile, the AAIB has confirmed that the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR), CVR, and CCTV footage from the airport are all being analysed. The investigation is ongoing and is expected to delve deeper into human factors, technical systems, and cockpit protocols.
One British citizen of Indian origin, seated in 11A, miraculously survived the crash and remains a key witness in the case.