FINAL 11 SECONDS on Air India 171: Captain Repeats “I Didn’t Shut It!” While Alarms Blare — Silent Override Suspected
The final 11 seconds of Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed on June 12, 2025, just 38 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, have emerged as a focal point in the ongoing investigation into the tragedy that claimed 260 lives. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) reveals Captain Sumeet Sabharwal repeatedly exclaiming, “I didn’t shut it!” as alarms blared, pointing to a suspected silent override of the aircraft’s fuel control switches. This article examines the critical final moments, the implications of the captain’s statements, and the mystery surrounding the suspected override, drawing on the latest findings from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and other sources.
Timeline of the Final 11 Seconds
The sequence of events in the final 11 seconds, from 13:39:00 IST to 13:39:11 IST (08:08:00 to 08:08:11 UTC), is reconstructed from the CVR, flight data recorder (FDR), and preliminary AAIB report:
T-11 seconds (13:39:00 IST): The aircraft, having reached a maximum altitude of 625 feet and an airspeed of 180 knots, is already in distress. Both fuel control switches, which regulate fuel flow to the engines, had moved to the “CUTOFF” position at 13:38:42 IST, starving the engines of fuel. The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed at 13:38:47 IST, indicating a total loss of engine power. Alarms, including stall warnings and engine failure alerts, begin blaring in the cockpit, captured by the CVR’s ambient microphone.
T-10 to T-8 seconds (13:39:01–13:39:03 IST): The CVR records First Officer Clive Kundar, the pilot flying, shouting, “We’re losing thrust!” as the aircraft begins to lose lift. Captain Sabharwal, the pilot monitoring, responds with, “Why did you cut off?”—a question suggesting he believed Kundar may have inadvertently moved the fuel control switches. Kundar replies, “I didn’t do it!” The fuel switch for Engine 1 is returned to the “RUN” position at 13:38:52 IST (eight seconds prior), followed by Engine 2 at 13:38:56 IST, initiating an automatic relight sequence.
T-7 to T-4 seconds (13:39:04–13:39:07 IST): As the aircraft continues its rapid descent, Sabharwal repeats, “I didn’t shut it! I didn’t shut it!”—his voice rising over the cacophony of alarms. The FDR shows Engine 1 spooling up after relighting, while Engine 2, though relit, fails to recover sufficient thrust. The Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) inlet door opens at 13:38:54 IST, attempting to provide backup power, but the aircraft’s low altitude—now below 400 feet—leaves no time for recovery.
T-3 seconds (13:39:08 IST): Sabharwal issues a desperate “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY” call, transmitted at 08:09:05 UTC. Air traffic control responds, requesting the flight’s call sign, but no reply follows. The CVR captures the escalating intensity of alarms, drowning out further communication.
T-0 (13:39:11 IST): The aircraft crashes into the hostel block of B.J. Medical College, 1.5 miles from the runway, erupting into a fireball. The CVR and FDR cease recording. The sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated in 11A, escapes through a broken emergency exit.
The Silent Override: What Does It Mean?
The term “silent override” refers to a potential undetected or uncommanded action that caused the fuel control switches to move to “CUTOFF” without deliberate pilot input. The AAIB’s preliminary report, released on July 12, 2025, confirms that both switches transitioned to “CUTOFF” within one second of each other at 13:38:42 IST, just three seconds after takeoff. This action, typically performed only after landing, cut fuel to both engines, leading to an immediate loss of thrust. The report notes that the switches, located on the center console, are equipped with spring-loaded locking mechanisms to prevent accidental movement, requiring a deliberate pull-and-move action.
The captain’s repeated exclamations of “I didn’t shut it!” in the final 11 seconds, coupled with Kundar’s earlier denial, deepen the mystery. Several theories are under investigation:
Mechanical or Electrical Malfunction: A technical snag, such as a fault in the fuel control switch locking mechanism, could have caused an uncommanded movement. A 2018 FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) flagged potential disengagement of the locking feature on Boeing 787 fuel control switches, which could allow unintended movement. Air India did not perform the recommended inspections, as the SAIB was advisory, not mandatory. This raises the possibility of a “silent” mechanical failure that mimicked a pilot action.
Inadvertent Pilot Action: Despite the locking mechanism, an accidental bump or reflex action—possibly triggered by a separate issue, such as the captain’s seat sliding due to a faulty $15 pin, as noted in a leaked CVR transcript—could have caused one pilot to move the switches. The CVR’s earlier exchange (“Why did you cut off?” / “I didn’t do it!”) suggests confusion, with neither pilot admitting to the action. The seat pin failure, reported as unreinspected after a June 1, 2025, repair, may have startled Sabharwal, leading to an instinctive grab at the throttle levers or switches.
Silent Override via System Glitch: Posts on X and some reports suggest investigators are probing a potential electronic or software issue in the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system, which could have sent a false cutoff signal to the engines. Such a glitch might not have been immediately visible to the pilots, explaining their confusion and Sabharwal’s insistence that he did not act. However, Captain Steve Cornell, a safety expert, stated that fuel control switches are not linked to autopilot or other automated systems, making a system-driven override less likely.
Deliberate Action or Sabotage: Speculative narratives, including posts on X and a Wall Street Journal report, have suggested the captain deliberately turned off the switches, possibly due to mental distress. These claims, citing U.S. investigators, remain unverified and are strongly contested by the Indian Commercial Pilot’s Association, which denounced such “reckless and unfounded insinuations” of pilot suicide. The pilots’ clean records, passing breathalyzer tests, and adequate rest make deliberate malice unlikely.
Cockpit Dynamics and Alarms
The CVR reveals a cockpit overwhelmed by alarms, including stall warnings and engine failure alerts, which likely exacerbated the pilots’ stress. The rapid sequence of events—fuel cutoff at T-29 seconds, RAT deployment at T-24 seconds, and the crash at T-0—left Sabharwal and Kundar with little time to process the situation. The captain’s repeated “I didn’t shut it!” suggests he was fixated on refuting responsibility for the fuel cutoff, possibly distracted from critical recovery actions. Aviation experts note that such high-stress scenarios can lead to task saturation, where pilots struggle to prioritize tasks amid a barrage of warnings.
The AAIB has not yet identified which pilot spoke which lines, as voice matching with colleagues familiar with Sabharwal and Kundar is ongoing. The absence of cockpit video recorders, a point raised by The Air Current, complicates the investigation, as visual evidence could clarify whether either pilot physically touched the switches.
Investigation Focus and Industry Implications
The AAIB, supported by the NTSB, UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch, Boeing, and GE Aerospace, is prioritizing several areas:
Fuel Control Switch Design: The 2018 FAA SAIB on Boeing 787 switches is under scrutiny. If a locking mechanism failure is confirmed, it could prompt mandatory inspections across the 787 fleet.
Maintenance Lapses: The unreinspected seat pin, linked to a maintenance oversight on June 1, 2025, is a key focus. Air India’s failure to follow advisory inspections on fuel switches and the seat pin raises questions about compliance with non-mandatory recommendations.
Pilot Training: The rapid onset of the crisis suggests current training may not adequately prepare crews for dual-engine failure immediately after takeoff. Simulators may need to incorporate such rare scenarios.
Cockpit Video Recorders: The crash has renewed calls for mandatory cockpit video to complement CVR and FDR data, potentially resolving ambiguities about pilot actions.
The AAIB’s final report, expected within 12 months, will likely address these issues and determine whether the silent override was mechanical, human, or systemic in nature.
Public Sentiment and Ethical Concerns
Posts on X reflect public shock and speculation, with some users citing unverified claims of deliberate pilot action, while others demand focus on technical failures. The Indian Commercial Pilot’s Association has urged restraint, emphasizing the pilots’ professionalism and the need for evidence-based conclusions. Families of the victims, like Imtiyaz Ali, express frustration over the slow identification process, with only 11 DNA matches completed by June 15, 2025. The leak of CVR details to outlets like The New Indian Express has raised ethical concerns about privacy and the potential to prejudice the investigation.
Conclusion
The final 11 seconds of Air India Flight 171, marked by Captain Sabharwal’s desperate cries of “I didn’t shut it!” amid blaring alarms, encapsulate the chaos and confusion that led to one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters. The suspected silent override of the fuel control switches—whether due to a mechanical fault, inadvertent action, or an unconfirmed system glitch—remains the central enigma. As investigators sift through the wreckage and black box data, the tragedy underscores the need for enhanced cockpit technology, rigorous maintenance protocols, and robust training to prevent such catastrophic failures. The loss of 260 lives demands not only answers but actionable reforms to ensure the skies remain safe.
