Shock Before Takeoff? Pilots Flag Hidden Electrical Glitch in Air India Crash Probe

Nearly a year after the devastating Air India AI171 crash that claimed 260 lives , fresh concerns are reshaping the narrative around what really went wrong in those final, fatal seconds after takeoff.

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has now stepped forward, urging the government to pursue a deeper, technology-focused investigation, one that examines whether a silent electrical malfunction may have triggered the disaster.

The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner , crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025 . The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had earlier revealed a shocking detail: both engines lost fuel supply within a one-second gap , leading to an immediate loss of thrust. Even more unsettling was the cockpit voice recording, where one pilot questioned the other about shutting off fuel, only to be met with confusion and denial.

This unexplained moment has now become central to a new theory.

According to the FIP, a “pre-lift-off electrical disturbance” could have caused unintended relay actions, leading to an automatic fuel cut-off without pilot input . The concern is linked to known risks such as lithium-ion battery issues and abnormal voltage behaviour in complex aircraft systems.

The pilots’ body has called for an independent scientific analysis involving institutions like IIT Bombay, Aeronautical Development Agency, and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, stressing that technical causes must be thoroughly tested before any final conclusions.

The issue also raises broader questions about cockpit automation and system reliability . In highly automated aircraft, even a minor fault can trigger rapid failures with little room for human correction.