Air India Plane Crash – Timeline, Cause, Survivor and Updates

A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operated by Air India crashed on June 12, 2025, less than a minute after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India. The aircraft was en route to London Gatwick Airport when it came down on the campus of B.J. Medical College, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground. One passenger survived. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released a preliminary report in July 2025, though the investigation remains ongoing.

The crash of Air India Flight 171 marks the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft type entered service. It also represents the deadliest incident in Air India’s history since 1985 and the second-deadliest aviation disaster in Indian history. The collision with the medical college hostel created a catastrophic fire that complicated recovery and identification efforts for weeks.

Authorities have confirmed that data recovered from the aircraft’s enhanced flight recorder played a critical role in shaping the preliminary findings. International aviation bodies including the United States National Transportation Safety Board and the United Kingdom’s AAIB have supported the investigation. A complete final report has not yet been published.

What is the latest update on Air India Flight 171 crash?

• The aircraft crashed 32 seconds after leaving the runway, striking the hostel block of B.J. Medical College 1.7 kilometres from the departure end.
• DNA identification of all 260 victims was completed by June 28, 2025, following a fire that reached temperatures of 1,500°C.
• A preliminary report released by India’s AAIB on July 12, 2025, identified loss of thrust in both engines as the triggering event.
• Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that investigators believe Captain Sumeet Sabharwal moved fuel control switches to CUTOFF deliberately.
• The incident constitutes the first hull loss and first fatal crash for the Boeing 787 type since the aircraft entered service in 2011.
• Tata Group, which acquired Air India in 2022, announced compensation of 1 crore INR (approximately $115,000) to each family of the deceased.

What caused the Air India Flight 171 crash?

The preliminary investigation report published by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on July 12, 2025, identified that both engines lost thrust approximately three seconds after the aircraft became airborne. According to data from the enhanced flight data recorder, the fuel control switches had been moved from the RUN position to CUTOFF at that moment. This action shut off fuel flow to both engines simultaneously, eliminating propulsion at a critical phase of flight.

Engine power loss sequence

Flight 171 departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 13:39 IST. The aircraft initially climbed after takeoff but then began a gradual descent while exhibiting side-to-side wobbling. Witnesses and video footage captured the Dreamliner at low altitude before impact. The combination of lost thrust at low altitude and the resulting aerodynamic instability left the crew without sufficient time to recover or execute a successful emergency landing.

Questions of intent

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that investigators examining the evidence concluded Captain Sumeet Sabharwal likely moved the fuel control switches deliberately. The report suggested the positioning of the switches and other cockpit indications pointed toward an intentional act rather than accidental manipulation. However, officials have not confirmed this interpretation publicly, and the AAIB has stated that its full report remains pending.

The possibility of deliberate action has raised questions about the captain’s state of mind and any contributing factors. Aviation safety experts note that cockpit access, crew screening, and operational protocols have been under scrutiny across the industry. No information has been released regarding Captain Sabharwal’s personal circumstances, health history, or any communication that might explain his actions.

What are the details of the Air India plane crash?

Flight 171 struck the hostel block of B.J. Medical College, approximately 1.7 kilometres from the departure end of runway 23 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The impact sequence began with a collision with a tree, followed by contact with the roof of the campus mess hall. Video footage from the airport’s closed-circuit television system captured the aircraft’s takeoff and subsequent descent. Additional footage recorded by an aviation enthusiast from approximately 200 metres inside the airport perimeter showed the Dreamliner at very low altitude before flames and smoke became visible.

Impact and fire

The aircraft struck the ground at an estimated attitude of wings level with the nose up approximately 8 degrees. The impact severed the empennage (tail section) from the fuselage, scattering debris across an area measuring roughly 300 by 120 metres. The flight deck components were found approximately 200 metres from the mess hall, indicating the severe forces involved in the collision with multiple structures.

The post-crash fire reached temperatures of 1,500 degrees Celsius, severely complicating search and recovery operations. Between 10 and 12 people were reportedly trapped inside burning structures. The intensity of the fire damaged physical evidence and created hazardous conditions for rescue personnel operating near the site.

Damage assessment

Five buildings on the B.J. Medical College campus sustained severe damage from the impact and subsequent fire. The hostel block suffered the most extensive destruction, with multiple floors collapsing. Rescue workers faced challenges accessing certain areas due to structural instability and ongoing fire. The mess hall and several adjacent structures were either partially or substantially destroyed.

Who survived the Air India plane crash?

Viswash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British citizen of Indian origin, was the sole survivor of Air India Flight 171. He was seated in row 11, seat A, near an emergency exit on the left side of the aircraft. His section of the fuselage detached during the impact sequence and came to rest on the ground floor of the hostel building, creating a gap through which he was able to exit the wreckage.

The configuration of his seating area appears to have been decisive in his survival. When the aircraft struck the hostel block, the section containing row 11 separated from the main fuselage and fell onto the ground level rather than upper floors or the fire zones. The emergency exit in that area fractured, providing an escape route where other exits would have been blocked or destroyed.

Beyond the basic details of his seating position and survival mechanism, publicly available information about Ramesh’s experience remains limited. He has not given detailed interviews that have entered the public record. Officials have indicated that he was transported to medical care, though specific information about his injuries or condition has not been widely reported.

Timeline of the Air India Flight 171 crash

1. 13:39 IST (08:09 UTC) — Air India Flight 171 departs runway 23 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport for London Gatwick.
2. Three seconds after liftoff — Fuel control switches moved to CUTOFF; both engines lose thrust.
3. 32 seconds after takeoff — Aircraft strikes a tree, then the mess hall roof of B.J. Medical College campus.
4. 13:39 IST — A brief cockpit mayday transmission is recorded.
5. Post-impact — Empennage detaches; wreckage spreads across 300 by 120 metre area; fire ignites.
6. June 12–28, 2025 — Search, rescue, and DNA identification operations conclude with 260 victims identified.
7. June 15, 2025 — Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani identified among ground casualties.
8. July 12, 2025 — AAIB publishes preliminary report identifying loss of thrust as the initiating event.
9. 2025–2026 — Investigation continues with support from NTSB and UK AAIB; final report pending.

What is established versus unclear about the crash?

Context of the Air India Flight 171 crash

The crash of Air India Flight 171 represents a significant moment in aviation safety history. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, introduced into commercial service in 2011, had not previously experienced a fatal hull loss until this incident. The aircraft type has been widely regarded as one of the most advanced and safest platforms in commercial aviation, making the accident particularly notable within the industry and among safety regulators worldwide.

Air India had undergone substantial changes in ownership and management in the years preceding the crash. The Tata Group completed its acquisition of the airline in 2022, bringing the carrier back under Indian ownership after decades under state control. The crash represented the first major accident for the airline under the new management structure, creating substantial reputational and operational challenges for the carrier.

The death toll of 260 places this incident as the second-deadliest aviation disaster in Indian history, surpassed only by the 1996 Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision that killed 349 people. It is also the deadliest single-aircraft accident in Indian history. For Air India specifically, it surpasses the 1985 crash of Flight 182 off the coast of Ireland, which killed 329 people and remains the airline’s previous deadliest incident.

Sources and what they tell us

The accounts of the Air India Flight 171 crash draw from multiple documented sources, including aviation databases, preliminary official reports, and established news organisations.

The enhanced airborne flight recorder captured the switch positions and flight parameters leading up to the impact, allowing investigators to identify the fuel control switch movement as the initiating event.

— AAIB preliminary report, July 12, 2025

Encyclopaedic references provide comprehensive factual coverage of the crash sequence, casualties, and aircraft details. Aviation-focused reporting has contributed additional context regarding safety implications and industry response.

International assistance from the United States National Transportation Safety Board and the UK AAIB reflects the gravity of the incident and the complexity of the investigation. The involvement of these agencies suggests particular attention to Boeing aircraft systems and cockpit procedures as part of the inquiry.

The preliminary findings point toward an initiating event involving deliberate switch movement, according to reporting on investigator conclusions. However, without a final published report, the official determination of cause remains incomplete.

Summary

Air India Flight 171 crashed on June 12, 2025, less than a minute after departing Ahmedabad, killing 260 people in total. The sole survivor escaped after his section of the aircraft detached and fell onto the ground floor of a hostel building. A preliminary investigation identified that both engines lost thrust after fuel control switches were moved to CUTOFF approximately three seconds after takeoff. Investigators have reportedly considered the possibility that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal moved the switches deliberately, though a final official determination has not been released. The crash marks the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 and has prompted scrutiny of aviation safety protocols and crew screening procedures. For more context on the broader challenges facing European aviation infrastructure, see our guide to France Spain Italy Portugal Airport Chaos – Causes and Tips.

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