Indian investigators are expected to delay the release of their final report on the June 2025 crash of an Air India Boeing 787. This delay is due to ongoing analysis of the aircraft’s engines, which were sent to the U. S. for further study.
According to international guidelines, investigations into aviation accidents should be completed within a year. However, if this is not possible, investigators are expected to issue a statement on the one-year anniversary.
The crash occurred on June 12, 2025, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India. The 787 crashed into a medical college campus, resulting in the death of 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground.
The investigation has focused on the aircraft’s GE Aerospace engines. In a preliminary report released in July, it was found that the fuel control switches were moved from the “Run” to “Cutoff” position in quick succession, causing the engines to shut down mid-climb.
The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel switches were turned off, to which the second pilot responded that he did not do so. The switches were then reversed, and the engines were in the process of coming back online when the crash occurred.
The preliminary report also mentioned a 2018 advisory from the FAA, which urged airlines operating Boeing aircraft to inspect the locking mechanism on the fuel switches to prevent accidental movement. However, Air India did not follow this guidance, as stated in the report.
In response, the FAA clarified that their advisory was based on information that the fuel control switches were installed without the locking feature engaged. The agency also stated that this does not make the devices themselves unsafe.
There has been speculation that one of the pilots may have deliberately shut off the engines, but this theory is controversial among the Indian aviation community, including the country’s largest pilots union. They have urged investigators to obtain more technical data from Boeing and Air India to aid in their inquiry.