Context:

The Air India Flight 171 disaster, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, is India's worst aviation tragedy in decades, killing at least 260 people. A preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau reveals that the crash was precipitated by the unexplained movement of fuel switches from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF', cutting off fuel supply to both engines just seconds after the plane reached its takeoff speed. Despite attempts to restart the engines, only one partially recovered, and the pilots issued a 'MAYDAY' call before the plane crashed into a nearby medical college. The cockpit voice recording captured the pilots' confusion regarding the switch movement, suggesting it was not deliberate. The investigation continues as experts seek to understand why the switches moved, a crucial detail that remains unresolved and may take months to conclusively determine.

Dive Deeper:

• Air India Flight 171 crashed on June 12 after taking off from Ahmedabad, bound for London, resulting in at least 260 fatalities, marking it as India's worst aviation disaster in decades.

• A preliminary investigation report notes the critical failure occurred when fuel switches for both engines unexpectedly moved to 'CUTOFF', halting fuel supply just seconds after takeoff speed was achieved.

• The cockpit voice recorder captured the pilots' confusion over the fuel cutoff, with one asking the other why the switch was moved, and the other denying having done so.

• Both engines attempted to restart after the switches were returned to 'RUN', but only one engine partially recovered, leading to the issuance of a 'MAYDAY' distress signal.

• The crash occurred when the plane lost altitude and crashed into a medical college, with emergency services responding shortly after the flight recorder stopped.

• The report has yet to determine the cause of the switch movement, which had locking mechanisms to prevent accidental operation, suggesting possible human intervention.

• The investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is ongoing, with experts pointing out that it may take several months to fully understand the reasons behind the crash.