A cockpit voice recording from the ill-fated Air India Flight 171 reveals that the junior co-pilot questioned the senior pilot about switching off the aircraft’s fuel supply, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
The details—shared by individuals who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly—offer the first insight into the specific dialogue that took place in the cockpit. While the exchange was briefly noted in last week’s preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on the June 12 crash in Ahmedabad, the report did not disclose who was speaking.
According to the report, two fuel switches in the cockpit were moved to the cut-off position, leading the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to lose lift and crash just 32 seconds after takeoff. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), citing data from the cockpit voice recorder, noted that the other pilot denied being responsible for switching them off.
Aviation experts had speculated that it was First Officer Clive Kunder who questioned Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, as Kunder was the pilot flying at the time—likely occupied with one hand on the yoke guiding the widebody aircraft into the air, and the other on the throttle managing its speed. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the specific dialogue between the two pilots.
The initial investigation revealed that the fuel-control switches were turned off moments after the aircraft took off. Although they were reactivated approximately 10 seconds later, the delay proved fatal, resulting in the June 12 crash that claimed the lives of 260 people both on board and on the ground.
Investigators are now focused on determining how and why the fuel switches were turned off, cutting off the engines’ fuel supply. Authorities are examining whether the incident stemmed from a system malfunction or human error.
While the newly revealed details shed light on the confusion that unfolded in the cockpit during the 32 seconds between takeoff and the crash, investigators have yet to reach any definitive conclusions.
Michael Daniel, a retired FAA inspector and accident investigator, suggests the cockpit voice recording could prove even more revealing.
“There are multiple microphones around the cockpit including their headsets,” said Daniel.
Given the placement of the microphones, it's likely the recording captured not only the sound of the fuel switches being turned off, but also the direction from which the sound originated in the cockpit—potentially providing investigators with conclusive evidence identifying who shut off the engines' fuel supply, he said.
Earlier this week, India’s civil aviation authority mandated inspections of cockpit fuel switches on Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft operating within the country, aiming to determine whether equipment failure played a role in the crash.
Aviation psychologists and medical experts are also participating in the investigation—a standard procedure in the aviation industry—to examine the pilots' potential role in the crash.
The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with U.S. officials’ initial assessment, reported that the first officer was surprised to find the fuel switches turned off and then panicked, while the captain appeared to remain calm. Meanwhile, the Airline Pilots’ Association of India has contested the notion that human error was to blame.
The AAIB did not respond to requests for comment sent outside regular business hours. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, assisting with the investigation, directed inquiries to Indian authorities. Boeing also deferred questions to the AAIB. Meanwhile, Air India and GE Aerospace, the engine manufacturer, declined to comment.
In a memo to employees on Monday reviewed by Bloomberg News, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson stated that the report did not identify a cause nor offer any recommendations. “I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over,” he said.
Photograph: The crash site of Air Indiaflight AI171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. Photo credit: Siddharaj Solanki/Bloomberg
