New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its 15-page preliminary report on the tragic Air India crash that occurred on June 12 in Ahmedabad. The incident involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed into the premises of BJ Medical College near the airport, killing 240 of the 241 passengers onboard. One passenger survived, while 19 people on the ground also lost their lives.
The report provides the first official insight into the sequence of events and engine performance leading up to the crash. While it stops short of issuing safety recommendations at this stage, it highlights key technical findings and procedural anomalies. Here are the 10 key takeaways from the report:
No Safety Recommendations Yet: The AAIB has not issued any directives for Boeing 787-8 aircraft or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers.
Partial Engine Recovery: Engine 1 showed signs of recovery after initial deceleration, with its core performance gradually improving.
Engine 2 Failed to Stabilise: Despite several fuel reintroduction attempts, Engine 2 could not arrest its core speed drop.
Fuel Cutoff Mid-Flight: At 13:38:42 IST, fuel cutoff switches for both engines unexpectedly moved from 'Run' to 'Cutoff' as the aircraft reached 180 knots indicated airspeed.
Quick Relight Attempts: The fuel switches were moved back to ‘Run’ within seconds, and a rise in Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) in both engines indicated combustion during the relight effort.
Cockpit Confusion: The cockpit voice recorder revealed apparent miscommunication between the pilots, with one asking, “Why did you cut off?” and the other replying, “I did not do so.”
Both Engines Dropped Below Idle Speed: Data confirmed that both engines' N2 speeds fell below the minimum idle threshold.
Aft Flight Recorder Damaged: The aft Engine and Aircraft Flight Recorder (EAFR) was too severely damaged to recover data using standard methods.
Further Evidence Required: The AAIB said additional information from stakeholders is being gathered for the next phase of the investigation.
EGT Rise Confirmed During Relight: EAFR data showed an EGT increase during fuel switchbacks, supporting evidence of combustion attempts in both engines.
The AAIB emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and final conclusions will be drawn after a thorough review of all technical evidence and operational data.
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