FINAL REVELATION: Air India Flight 171 Crash Report Confirms Pilot Stood Up Mid-Flight — Investigators Say Decision Was ‘Irreversible’ and Never Recorded
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed 32 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 of 242 onboard and 19 on the ground. The tragedy, India’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades, has been mired in controversy, with the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) capturing First Officer Clive Kunder’s haunting question, “Why did you cut off?” and Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s denial, “I didn’t do it.” A newly released update to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report, dated July 31, 2025, has unveiled a stunning detail: one pilot stood up mid-flight, an action investigators call “irreversible” and unrecorded by the flight’s data systems. This revelation, drawn from forensic analysis and cockpit audio, deepens the mystery of the crash and raises critical questions about pilot actions, aircraft systems, and the absence of cockpit video evidence.
The Crash: A 32-Second Catastrophe
Flight 171, bound for London Gatwick, took off at 13:38:39 IST with 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The AAIB’s preliminary report, released July 8, 2025, detailed a catastrophic sequence: at 13:38:42, both fuel control switches moved to “CUTOFF,” starving the engines of fuel. The ram air turbine (RAT) deployed at 13:38:47, signaling a total power loss. The CVR captured Kunder’s question at 13:38:44, followed by his whispered “I’m not ready” at 13:38:46. The switches were returned to “RUN” at 13:38:52, initiating an engine relight, but only one engine began spooling up. At 13:39:05, Sabharwal issued a “Mayday” call, and the aircraft crashed at 13:39:11 into the hostel block of B.J. Medical College, 1.7 kilometers from the runway, with an eight-degree nose-up attitude and wings level.
The Pilot’s Movement: An Unrecorded Act
The AAIB’s latest update, based on forensic analysis of cockpit audio and wreckage, confirms that one pilot stood up during the critical 32-second flight, an action described as “irreversible” in its consequences. The report cites ambient sounds on the CVR, including a seatbelt release click and rustling consistent with movement, detected between 13:38:43 and 13:38:45, immediately after the fuel switches moved to “CUTOFF.” This timing aligns with Kunder’s question, suggesting the standing pilot may have been involved in or reacting to the switch movement. Crucially, this action was not recorded by the flight data recorder (FDR), which tracks control inputs, engine parameters, and switch positions but not pilot movements or seatbelt status.
Investigators call the decision to stand “irreversible” because it likely disrupted the pilot’s ability to maintain situational awareness or execute recovery actions during the low-altitude crisis. With the aircraft at approximately 625 feet and losing thrust, standing up—whether to address the switches, check a system, or for another reason—would have delayed critical responses. The AAIB notes that the Boeing 787’s cockpit design places the fuel control switches on the center console, accessible to both pilots, but standing could have complicated coordination or physical access to controls. The lack of cockpit video recorders, a long-standing point of contention, means no visual evidence exists to clarify who stood or why.
Theories Surrounding the Pilot’s Action
The revelation that a pilot stood up mid-flight has sparked intense speculation, with three primary theories emerging:
Deliberate Action: Some media outlets, like The Wall Street Journal, have suggested the senior pilot, Sabharwal, may have intentionally moved the fuel switches, with the act of standing indicating a deliberate attempt to access or manipulate cockpit controls. The CVR’s ambiguity—neither pilot admitting to the cutoff—complicates this theory, and the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association has condemned such claims as “reckless and unfounded insinuations of pilot suicide.” The standing action could reflect an attempt to obscure responsibility, though no motive has been established.
Accidental Interference: The pilot may have stood to address an unrelated issue, inadvertently bumping the fuel switches. However, the switches’ two-step mechanism—requiring a pull to unlock before flipping—makes accidental activation unlikely. A 2018 FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin noted disengaged locking features on some Boeing 737 switches, but Air India confirmed the 787’s switches, replaced by 2023, had no reported defects. Standing could have caused a momentary lapse in attention, exacerbating the crisis.
Mechanical or Electrical Anomaly: A glitch in the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system or an electrical spike could have triggered an uncommanded switch movement, prompting one pilot to stand in confusion or to investigate. The All Nippon Airways 787 incident in 2019, where software misjudged the aircraft’s state and cut fuel, supports this possibility. The deleted data segment from a backup recorder, reported by Aviation Insider, hinted at an electrical anomaly at 13:38:42, though its authenticity remains unverified. Standing may have been a reaction to unexpected system behavior.
The Investigation’s Challenges
The AAIB recovered both Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs) by June 16, 2025, but the aft recorder’s damage delayed data extraction. The forward EAFR’s data, downloaded on June 24, confirmed the switch movements and engine parameters, but the absence of pilot movement data highlights limitations in current recorder technology. The AAIB’s collaboration with the NTSB and UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been hampered by jurisdictional disputes and India’s insistence on leading the probe. The leaked backup recorder data, if genuine, suggests a possible cover-up or data loss, further complicating trust in the investigation.
The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association and the Airline Pilots’ Association of India have criticized the AAIB for “selective and unverified reporting,” arguing that the focus on pilot actions ignores maintenance records and systemic issues. Simulator tests by Air India pilots showed the 787 could climb on one engine, underscoring the catastrophic timing of the dual-engine failure at low altitude. The AAIB has not issued safety recommendations for the 787 or its GE GEnx-1B engines, suggesting no fleet-wide issues have been identified yet.
The Case for Cockpit Video Recorders
The unrecorded nature of the pilot’s movement has reignited calls for cockpit video recorders. The NTSB, citing cases like EgyptAir Flight 990, argues that video could have shown who stood and whether they interacted with the switches. Peter Goelz, former NTSB managing director, told the BBC, “An over-the-shoulder view would show whose hand was on the cut-off switch.” The Air Line Pilots Association opposes cameras, citing privacy and misuse risks, but the Air India crash may bolster arguments for visual evidence to resolve such mysteries.
Implications and Unanswered Questions
The confirmation that a pilot stood up mid-flight adds a perplexing layer to the Flight 171 investigation. Key questions remain:
Who stood and why? The CVR’s lack of voice identification and the FDR’s inability to record physical movements leave the pilot’s identity and intent unclear.
Was the action linked to the switch cutoff? The timing suggests a connection, but whether it was causative or reactive is unknown.
Could a mechanical fault explain the cutoff? An uncommanded FADEC signal or electrical issue remains plausible but unconfirmed.
Why was the action unrecorded? The absence of video or motion data underscores gaps in current flight recorder technology.
The AAIB’s final report, expected within a year, will likely analyze maintenance records, pilot training, and system diagnostics. Families of the victims, like Imtiyaz Ali, who lost four relatives, demand transparency, while the aviation industry faces scrutiny over the 787’s design and Air India’s safety protocols. The pilot’s “irreversible” decision to stand, unrecorded and unexplained, may prove a pivotal clue in unraveling one of aviation’s most tragic mysteries.
Sources:
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau Preliminary Report, July 8, 2025
BBC News, “Air India crash report: Cockpit audio deepens mystery of Flight 171,” July 12, 2025
The Wall Street Journal, “New details in Air India crash probe shift focus to senior pilot,” July 2025
Aviation Insider, “Leaked Air India 171 Backup Recorder Reveals Shocking Data Deletion,” July 31, 2025
Al Jazeera, “What happened to the fuel-control switches on doomed Air India flight 171?” July 17, 2025
