Skip to main content

Featured

LA NUOVA VIA DELLA SETA AEROSPAZIALE: La Cina sfida il monopolio occidentale

        From exercises in Qatar to global co‑production agreements: China’s geopolitical and commercial offensive to build a defence ecosystem alternative to the West’s     In mid‑May 2026, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV aired a report destined to draw the attention of international defence analysts. In the segment, later picked up by Asian media and the Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) community, Beijing claimed that the Chengdu J‑10CE fighter had achieved a “9‑0” result against an unspecified “advanced European aircraft”, comprising five close‑range dogfights and four beyond‑visual‑range (BVR) engagements .   Although the Chinese state network did not officially name the countries involved, most OSINT analysts linked the report to the “Zilzal‑II” bilateral exercise held over Qatar in January 2024, between Pakistan Air Force (PAF) J‑10CEs and Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) Eurofighter Typhoons. The exercis...
Post a Comment
Read more
Labels

🔍 When Both Engines Shut Down After Takeoff: The Case of Air India Flight 171



Analysis based on confirmed data from official sources (AAIB, FAA, DGCA)

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171  a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner registered VT-ANB  departed from Ahmedabad bound for London Gatwick. Seconds after rotation, the aircraft lost thrust from both engines and crashed into a residential area near the airport. More than two hundred people lost their lives.

Four months after the accident, the preliminary report released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has provided the first confirmed data, outlining a chain of events that shocked the aviation world.

✈️ Facts confirmed by the preliminary report

Flight data (FDR and EAFR) indicate that both fuel-control switches  the levers that regulate fuel flow to each engine  moved from the RUN position to CUTOFF just seconds after takeoff.
The event occurred almost simultaneously, with only a one-second interval between the left and right engine.

This action instantly cut off fuel to both engines, leading to a dual engine flameout. Immediately afterward, the switches were moved back to RUN, and engine relight attempts were recorded, but the aircraft was already in a critical attitude and could not maintain altitude.

The Cockpit Voice Recorder captured confused voices: one pilot asked, “Why did you cut off?” and the other replied, “I didn’t.”
This confirms that the action was not intentional or planned at that stage of flight.

⚙️ The engine-control panel replaced twice

The AAIB report highlights that the throttle and engine-control panel, which houses the fuel-control switches, had been replaced twice in previous years:

  • the first time in 2019,
  • the second time in 2023.

In both cases, the replacement was unrelated to any anomalies involving the fuel switch locking mechanism or issues similar to those referenced in the FAA’s SAIB NM-18-33 issued in 2018.

Maintenance documentation reviewed by investigators shows no record of malfunctions or disengagement of the locking feature on this specific aircraft up to its last technical inspection.

📄 The 2018 precedent: SAIB NM-18-33

On December 17, 2018, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin NM-18-33, titled “Potential for Disengagement of the Fuel Control Switch Locking Feature.”
The bulletin reported that some Boeing operators (particularly on 737 and 787 models) had encountered cases where the fuel-control lever locking mechanism could be improperly installed or disengaged.

The locking mechanism is designed to prevent accidental movement: to go from RUN to CUTOFF, the pilot must lift the lever physically. If the lock is disengaged, the switch can move more freely  possibly due to vibration, impact, or human error.

The SAIB stated:

“If the locking feature is disengaged, the switch can be moved between the two positions without lifting it up … which could expose it to inadvertent operation and unintended in-flight engine shutdown.”

However, the FAA clarified that the condition was not considered ‘unsafe’ under Part 39, and therefore no Airworthiness Directive was issued.
The bulletin was purely advisory, not mandatory.

🔧 Links to the Air India 171 accident

The AAIB preliminary report confirms that the switches installed on aircraft VT-ANB carried the same part number (P/N 4TL837-3D) referenced in the FAA’s 2018 SAIB.

Nevertheless:

  • no evidence has been found that the locking feature was disengaged or defective at the time of takeoff;
  • no defects were recorded during the 2019 and 2023 maintenance actions;
  • no mandatory Boeing service bulletins or recalls were issued concerning this specific part.

Therefore, the connection between the 2018 SAIB and the Air India 171 accident is limited to part compatibility, not a proven cause.

📡 Reactions from the authorities

Following publication of the preliminary report, the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered all operators of Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft to inspect the engagement of the fuel-switch locking mechanism by July 21, 2025.
Boeing confirmed full cooperation with the AAIB investigation, noting that “proper engagement of the locking mechanism is already included in standard flight deck and maintenance checks.”

🔊 The RAT noise: a confirmation that never came

Several social media videos allegedly captured a sound similar to the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)  the small emergency turbine that deploys automatically when all electrical power is lost.
However, the preliminary report does not confirm or even mention RAT activation, and no official data from the FDR or rescue teams has verified that the device was actually deployed.

🧭 Technical observations

The confirmed sequence of events shows that:

  • the aircraft took off normally with both engines running in RUN mode;
  • seconds later, the switches moved to CUTOFF, interrupting fuel flow;
  • the pilots attempted immediate relight, but altitude and speed were insufficient to recover thrust;
  • the engine-control panel had been replaced twice previously and never due to any issue related to the locking feature described by the FAA in 2018.

🛫 Conclusion

The Air India Flight 171 case remains under investigation.
Evidence confirms the dual engine shutdown and relight attempt, but the reason why both fuel-control switches moved to CUTOFF is still unknown.

Investigations continue on three parallel tracks:

  1. mechanical inspection of the locking system;
  2. human factors and procedural review of the pilots’ actions;
  3. evaluation of maintenance records and inspection compliance in relation to the 2018 SAIB.

Until the final report is released, no hypothesis can replace verified facts:
the aircraft was serviceable, the control panel had been replaced twice for unrelated reasons, and the issue described in FAA SAIB NM-18-33  though documented  was not present on this specific aircraft.

Would you like me to prepare a shorter English version (around 300 words) suitable for LinkedIn or professional newsletters, keeping the same verified tone and sources?

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment