A year after Air India Flight 171 crashed near Ahmedabad, investigators still cannot say with certainty why the Boeing 787 fell from the sky. The plane was flying to London when it crashed into a medical college campus shortly after take-off. It killed 260 people.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau says it is still studying flight recorder data, aircraft systems, engine parts, maintenance records, and human factors. A preliminary report released last year said the fuel-control switches moved to the cut-off position seconds after take-off. That stopped fuel to both engines and caused a total loss of power.
The report led to sharp debate. Some people saw the cockpit audio as a sign of deliberate action. Others said the crew may have been trying to follow a procedure to restart the engines. Investigators are also examining the Ram Air Turbine, a backup device that gives emergency power, and engine data that may show exactly when power was lost.