AI-171 Crash: Why the Co-Pilot, Not the Captain, Was Flying the Aircraft
With the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) releasing its preliminary report on the tragic crash of Air India flight AI-171 on June 12, key details are beginning to emerge about the moments leading up to the disaster.
The report confirms that the co-pilot was at the controls at the time of the crash, while the captain assumed a supervisory role—a standard operating procedure in commercial aviation. Under typical protocol, one pilot, designated as the Pilot Flying (PF), is responsible for operating the aircraft, while the other, the Pilot Monitoring (PM), handles flight systems, radio communications, and supports the PF as needed.
Both pilots were found to be medically fit, properly licensed, and had received sufficient rest prior to the flight. Their experience was notable: the co-pilot had logged 3,400 total flight hours, including 1,100 hours on the Boeing 787. The captain, a senior Air India commander, had accumulated over 15,600 flight hours, with 8,200 hours on the same aircraft type.
A critical revelation in the report is that the Boeing 787-8’s engine fuel control switches moved from the ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ position just three seconds after take-off. This led to the immediate shutdown of both engines, causing the aircraft to crash merely 34 seconds after departing from Ahmedabad.
Data from the cockpit voice recorder reveals a moment of confusion: one pilot is heard asking the other why the fuel was cut off, to which the other replied, “I did not.”
In light of this exchange, identifying who was flying at the time becomes essential for investigators to piece together the cockpit dynamics and crew responses during the unfolding emergency.
As the investigation progresses, further analysis of flight data and cockpit recordings will be crucial in determining how the crew coordinated under pressure, how quickly the situation deteriorated, and whether any actions inside the cockpit triggered the shutdown or hindered recovery efforts.
Also read: Air India Crash Report Released: Could the Tragedy Have Been Prevented?
