A preliminary investigation report has revealed that the deadly plane crash in Ahmedabad, which killed all 260 people on board a Boeing aircraft, was caused by the accidental shutdown of the aircraft’s fuel control switches. The switches, which regulate the flow of fuel to the engines, were found to be in the ‘cut-off’ position moments after takeoff.
Fuel switches are critical components in any aircraft. They are specifically designed in a way that prevents them from being turned off accidentally. These switches control the fuel supply to the airplane’s engines, and it cannot operate unless the switches are in the ‘run’ position. Conversely, to shut down the engine, the switches must be moved to ‘cut-off’. In emergency situations, if an engine stalls during takeoff or mid-flight, these switches may be cycled off and on quickly in an attempt to restart the engine.
Given their importance, fuel switches are built with safeguards to prevent accidental operation. If the switches are moved to the ‘cut-off’ position, the engine shuts down immediately. Aviation expert John Cox explained that fuel switches function independently from other aircraft systems and that no trained pilot would intentionally turn them off during takeoff. He stressed that such a move defies logic and professional conduct.
Each aircraft engine has a dedicated fuel switch. On Boeing aircraft, including the one involved in the crash, these switches are located in the cockpit near the throttle levers, which control engine thrust. To move the switch, the pilot must lift it and then shift it forward or backward, forward for ‘run’, backward for ‘cut-off’. The design includes safeguards to prevent unintended movement caused by minor touches or turbulence.
In the Ahmedabad crash, the Boeing 787’s fuel switches were positioned just below the throttle levers. According to the cockpit voice recorder, the fuel switches moved to the ‘cut-off’ position within seconds of takeoff. The switches were turned off almost simultaneously, cutting off the fuel supply to both engines. As a result, both engines shut down, and the aircraft lost thrust during its initial climb.
The cockpit voice recording captured a brief exchange between the pilots. One of them noticed the switch had been turned off and questioned his co-pilot about it. The co-pilot responded that he had not done so. During this exchange, one of the pilots attempted to return the switches to the ‘run’ position. However, by that time, the aircraft had already begun to descend rapidly and crashed before the engines could restart.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is leading the inquiry, confirmed in its preliminary report that both fuel switches had moved to the ‘cut-off’ position just seconds after liftoff. While the cause of this unexpected shutdown remains unclear, the AAIB stated that a full investigation is required to determine why the switches were turned off and whether any mechanical malfunction or human error was involved.
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