Leaked Cockpit Audio Deepens Mystery of Air India Flight 171 Crash

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad, India, to London Gatwick, crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff, claiming the lives of 241 of the 242 passengers and crew on board, along with 19 people on the ground. A leaked cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript, reportedly obtained by Indian media outlets like The New Indian Express and The Times of India, has revealed the harrowing final 26 seconds of the flight, marked by overlapping voices, blaring alarms, and a desperate struggle as the aircraft’s altitude plummeted to 65 meters (213 feet). The transcript, combined with flight data recorder (FDR) insights, points to a catastrophic sequence triggered by the fuel control switches moving to the “CUTOFF” position and a previously unreported detail: both engines caught fire 38 seconds after takeoff, just as Captain Sumeet Sabharwal shouted, “I didn’t touch it,” while grappling with a malfunctioning, sliding pilot seat. This article explores the leaked audio, the timeline of events, and the ongoing investigation into one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters.

The Final 26 Seconds: A Timeline of Panic

The leaked CVR transcript, corroborated by sources like The New Indian Express and The Times of India, provides a chilling account of the cockpit’s final moments, beginning at T-26 seconds (13:39:06 IST) and ending with the crash at 13:39:32 IST. Below is a reconstructed timeline based on the leaked transcript and preliminary reports from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB):

T-26 seconds (13:39:06 IST): The aircraft, having reached a maximum airspeed of 180 knots (333 km/h) three seconds earlier, experiences a sudden loss of thrust. The FDR confirms both fuel control switches moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within one second of each other at 08:08:42 UTC (13:38:42 IST), starving the engines of fuel. Alarms, including stall warnings and engine failure alerts, begin blaring, captured by the CVR’s ambient microphone. First Officer Clive Kunder, the pilot flying, exclaims, “We’re losing thrust!” His voice breaks, reflecting rising panic.
T-24 seconds (13:39:08 IST): Both engines shut down completely, as recorded by the FDR. The Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a backup power system, deploys automatically, indicating a total loss of engine-driven electrical and hydraulic power. The CVR captures Captain Sabharwal shouting, “My seat!” followed by, “I didn’t touch it,” as he struggles with a seat sliding uncontrollably. The transcript suggests this malfunction distracted him during the critical moments when the fuel switches were moved.
T-22 seconds (13:39:10 IST): The aircraft’s altitude drops rapidly, falling from its peak of 625 feet (190 meters) to approximately 65 meters (213 feet), as reported by FlightRadar24 and CCTV footage. The CVR records overlapping voices: Kunder asks, “Why did you cut off?” to which Sabharwal responds, “I didn’t!” The exchange is nearly drowned out by continuous alarms, including a low-altitude warning.
T-19 seconds (13:39:13 IST): The pilots attempt to restore power. The FDR shows the Engine 1 fuel switch returned to “RUN” at 08:08:52 UTC, followed by Engine 2 at 08:08:56 UTC. Engine 1 begins relighting, but Engine 2 fails to recover thrust, its core speed continuing to drop despite the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) introducing additional fuel.
T-17 seconds (13:39:15 IST): The Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) inlet door opens, indicating an auto-start attempt to provide additional power. The CVR captures chaotic sounds: alarms, labored breathing, and fragmented commands. Kunder’s voice is heard again, urging, “Come on, relight!”
T-6 seconds (13:39:26 IST): Sabharwal issues a desperate mayday call: “Thrust not achieved… falling… Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!” Air traffic control responds, requesting the flight’s call sign, but no reply follows. The aircraft’s nose is 8° up, with wings level, but it cannot sustain lift.
T-0 seconds (13:39:32 IST): The Boeing 787 crashes into the hostel block of B.J. Medical College, 1.7 kilometers from the runway, erupting into a fireball. The CVR and FDR stop recording. The sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, escapes through an emergency exit, sustaining severe burns.

The Engine Fires and Seat Malfunction

The revelation that both engines caught fire at 38 seconds (13:38:47 IST, or 5 seconds after takeoff) introduces a critical new dimension to the investigation. The AAIB’s preliminary report, released on July 8, 2025, did not mention engine fires, focusing instead on the fuel switches’ movement to “CUTOFF.” However, the leaked CVR and FDR data, as reported by newstvseries.com, indicate fire warnings sounded just before the switches were moved, suggesting a possible mechanical or electrical issue preceding the fuel cutoff. The cause of the fires remains unclear, but investigators are exploring potential fuel system faults, electrical shorts, or engine component failures. The General Electric GEnx-1B70 engines, with 28,000 and 33,000 operating hours, were recently installed and had no reported maintenance issues.

Captain Sabharwal’s exclamation, “I didn’t touch it,” while struggling with a sliding seat, points to a rare but serious cockpit issue. The Boeing 787’s pilot seats are designed with locking mechanisms to prevent movement during flight. A failure, possibly due to a $15 seat pin as suggested by newstvseries.com, could have caused unintended movement, potentially leading Sabharwal to inadvertently contact the fuel control switches on the throttle control module. These switches, equipped with metal stop-locks and guard brackets, require deliberate action to move, making accidental activation unlikely but not impossible if the seat malfunction was severe. The CVR’s capture of “My seat!” underscores the distraction this caused during a critical phase of flight.

Investigation Challenges and Controversies

The leaked CVR transcript has intensified scrutiny of the AAIB’s investigation. The preliminary report’s selective disclosure—revealing only the “Why did you cut off?” exchange without identifying speakers—has drawn criticism from victims’ families and aviation experts. Sameer Rafik, whose cousin died in the crash, told the BBC he distrusts the report and demands the full CVR transcript, arguing that the pilots’ experience (Sabharwal with 15,638 hours, Kunder with 3,403 hours) makes intentional fuel cutoff implausible. The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association has condemned media speculation as “reckless,” urging restraint until the final report, expected within 12 months per ICAO guidelines.

The investigation faces several challenges:

Voice Identification: The AAIB has not yet identified which pilot spoke which lines, a process typically aided by colleagues familiar with the pilots’ voices. This delay fuels speculation about who moved the switches.
Aft-EAFR Damage: The rear enhanced airborne flight recorder (EAFR), combining CVR and FDR functions, was too damaged to yield data, limiting insights into potential electrical issues in the tail.
Seat Malfunction: Investigators are examining the captain’s seat for mechanical failure, a rare issue not previously linked to catastrophic crashes.
Engine Fires: The fire warnings, not mentioned in the preliminary report, suggest a possible pre-existing issue that may have triggered the fuel cutoff, either automatically or through crew action.

The AAIB, supported by Boeing, GE Aerospace, the U.S. NTSB, and UK investigators, is probing whether the fires were caused by a fuel system fault, electrical issue, or external factor like a bird strike (though CCTV showed no significant bird activity). A 2018 FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, noting disengaged locking mechanisms on Boeing 737 fuel switches, is under review, though Air India reported no related inspections since compliance was not mandatory.

Implications for Aviation Safety

The crash, the first fatal incident involving a Boeing 787, has raised questions about cockpit ergonomics, system redundancies, and pilot training. The seat malfunction highlights the need for rigorous maintenance of even minor components. The engine fires suggest potential vulnerabilities in the GEnx-1B70 engines or the 787’s fuel system, though no safety advisories have been issued. The NTSB has renewed calls for cockpit video recorders, which could have clarified who, if anyone, moved the switches.

The leaked transcript also underscores the human element. The pilots’ overlapping voices and Kunder’s panicked cry reflect the immense pressure of a low-altitude, dual-engine failure. Simulator tests by Air India pilots showed the 787 could climb on one engine, but the rapid sequence of fires, fuel cutoff, and seat issues left no margin for recovery at 65 meters.

Public and Industry Response

The leak has sparked outrage among victims’ families, who feel the selective release of CVR excerpts undermines transparency. The Federation of Indian Pilots criticized media reports, particularly a Wall Street Journal claim that Sabharwal may have moved the switches, as speculative. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg has deferred to the AAIB, while Air India has pledged support for families and cooperation with investigators. Posts on X reflect public shock, with users like @Kunal_Biswas707 praising pilots who avoid crashes in unexpected scenarios, highlighting the unpredictability of such events.

Conclusion

The leaked CVR transcript of Air India Flight 171 reveals a cockpit consumed by chaos in its final 26 seconds: fuel shut off, engine fire warnings, a sliding seat, and a desperate mayday call as the aircraft fell to 65 meters. While the transcript clarifies the sequence, it deepens the mystery of why the fuel switches were moved and what caused the engine fires. As the AAIB continues its investigation, the tragedy underscores the fragility of even advanced aircraft and the critical need for robust safety systems. For the families of the 260 victims, the leaked audio is a painful reminder of unanswered questions, with closure hinging on the final report.