A click… then silence. 😱 The black box of Air India Flight 171 captured a sound that haunts investigators: a mysterious click before the engines died. What caused it? Was it sabotage, a flaw, or something else?
👉 Hear the truth unfold here:

They Heard a Click… Then Nothing: The Black Box Mystery of Air India Flight 171

Introduction

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed 32 seconds after takeoff, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground. The disaster, the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787 since its 2011 debut, has gripped the aviation world with its perplexing cause: both engines lost thrust when their fuel control switches were moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” seconds after liftoff. The black box data—comprising the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR)—revealed a chilling detail: a distinct “click” followed by silence, moments before the engines shut down. The CVR captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” and the other replying, “I didn’t.” This article delves into the black box mystery, reconstructing the final 32 seconds, analyzing the significance of the “click,” and exploring whether it points to human error, a design flaw, or something more sinister.

The Crash: A 32-Second Tragedy

At 1:38:39 p.m. IST (08:08:39 UTC), Flight 171, registered VT-ANB, lifted off from runway 23 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport with 230 passengers and 12 crew members, including 13 children and two infants. The aircraft, piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (15,638 flight hours, 8,596 on the 787) and First Officer Clive Kunder (3,403 hours, 1,128 on the 787), reached 180 knots and a maximum altitude of 625 feet (425 feet above the airport’s elevation). The FDR data shows that at 08:08:42 UTC, three seconds after liftoff, both fuel control switches moved to “CUTOFF” within one second, halting fuel flow to the General Electric GEnx-1B engines. A “click” was recorded on the CVR, followed by silence as the engines spooled down, triggering a total power loss.

The ram air turbine (RAT) deployed at 08:08:47, providing limited electrical power to flight controls but not the landing gear, which remained down. By 08:08:52, the pilots returned the switches to “RUN,” initiating an automatic engine relight. One engine began regaining thrust, but the other had not yet recovered power. At 08:09:05, Captain Sabharwal transmitted a “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” call, reportedly including “…no power…no thrust…,” but received no response from ATC. At 08:09:11, the aircraft crashed into the B.J. Medical College hostel, 1.5 kilometers from the runway, exploding on impact and destroying five buildings. The sole survivor, Vishwaskumar Ramesh, escaped via an emergency exit.

The Black Box: A Click and Silence

The recovery of the two Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs) was a critical breakthrough. The first EAFR was found on June 13, 2025, on a rooftop, and the second on June 16 amidst debris, both damaged by fire and impact. Despite temperatures reaching 1,000°C at the crash site, the AAIB, with NTSB and UK support, successfully extracted data by June 26 at its Delhi laboratory. The CVR, with a two-hour recording capacity for this 2014 aircraft, captured pilot conversations, radio calls, and ambient sounds, including the pivotal “click.” The FDR logged thousands of parameters, confirming the switches’ movement and engine shutdown.

The “click” occurred at 08:08:42, coinciding with the FDR’s record of the fuel switches moving to “CUTOFF.” The CVR then recorded silence—no engine noise, no alarms, just the pilots’ voices. The exchange—“Why did you cut off?” followed by “I didn’t”—suggests confusion, with no indication of who spoke. First Officer Kunder was flying, while Captain Sabharwal monitored, raising questions about who, or what, triggered the click. The switches, located on the center console, are guarded by brackets and a metal stop-lock mechanism, requiring deliberate lifting and toggling. The absence of prior alarms or distress on the CVR deepens the mystery, as does the silence that followed the click, indicating no immediate mechanical cues.

Theories Behind the Click

The black box data has fueled multiple theories about the “click” and subsequent engine shutdown:

1. Pilot Action—Deliberate or Inadvertent?

A Wall Street Journal report, citing U.S. investigators, suggested Captain Sabharwal may have moved the switches, as Kunder was occupied with flying. X posts, such as @yashar and @PolymarketIntel, amplified this, claiming the captain intentionally shut off fuel, though the Indian Pilots’ Federation called such claims “premature and irresponsible.” The CVR’s dialogue suggests one pilot believed the other acted, yet the denial—“I didn’t”—implies no intentional action. Both pilots were rested and passed breathalyzer tests, ruling out fatigue or intoxication. Aviation expert Terry Tozer called the switch movement “absolutely bizarre,” noting the low altitude left no time for recovery.

2. Mechanical or Electronic Failure

A 2018 FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) highlighted disengaged locking mechanisms on Boeing 737 fuel switches, a design shared with the 787-8. Air India did not inspect VT-ANB’s switches, as the SAIB was advisory. Capt. Kishore Chinta suggested an electronic control unit glitch could have triggered the switches, though the CVR’s “click” and pilot dialogue suggest physical movement. A 2019 All Nippon Airways 787 incident, where software caused an engine shutdown, has been cited, but the FDR found no mechanical faults in VT-ANB’s engines or systems. The “click” could indicate a mechanical failure, but the absence of prior alarms challenges this theory.

3. Sabotage or External Interference

X posts like @eugyppius1 speculated deliberate activation, noting the switches’ design makes accidental movement unlikely. However, no evidence supports sabotage, and anti-terror experts involved in the investigation have found no threats or motives. The pilots’ clean records and the CVR’s lack of distress prior to the click reduce the likelihood of intentional acts.

4. Environmental or Operational Factors

Theories of bird strikes, fuel contamination, or flap misconfiguration were investigated but dismissed. CCTV footage showed no significant bird activity, fuel samples were satisfactory, and the 787’s warning system would have flagged flap issues. The “click” could be unrelated to external factors, as the FDR confirmed normal operations until the switch movement. The 40°C heat and near-maximum takeoff weight were within limits, suggesting no environmental trigger for the click.

Investigation Challenges and Public Reaction

The AAIB, with Boeing, GE Aerospace, NTSB, and UK support, is analyzing switch wreckage to confirm their condition. The absence of cockpit video, as noted by The Air Current, hinders definitive answers, with experts like Mary Schiavo advocating for mandatory cameras. Families, like Imtiyaz Ali, demand the full CVR transcript, frustrated by the report’s paraphrased excerpts. X posts reflect public skepticism, with @SaketGokhale criticizing the report’s late-night release. The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association has condemned media speculation, urging a transparent, data-driven probe.

Implications for Aviation Safety

The “click” and silence raise questions about the 787’s fuel control switch design and maintenance protocols. The DGCA ordered inspections of Air India’s 33 Dreamliners, finding no issues, but a confirmed flaw could affect the global 787 fleet. The crash, at just 625 feet, underscores the impossibility of recovering from dual-engine failure at low altitude, prompting calls for enhanced training and safeguards. Boeing’s stock futures fell 9% post-crash, reflecting industry concerns. The absence of safety recommendations for Boeing or GE suggests no systemic fault, but the final report, due by mid-2026, will be critical.

Conclusion

The black box mystery of Air India Flight 171, marked by a chilling “click” and silence, remains unresolved. The CVR’s haunting dialogue and the FDR’s precise data point to the fuel switches’ movement, but whether it was human error, a mechanical flaw, or an unforeseen factor is unclear. The “click” could be the sound of a deliberate act, a malfunction, or an anomaly yet to be understood. As investigators sift through wreckage and data, the aviation world and grieving families await answers. The tragedy of Flight 171, with its 260 lives lost, demands clarity to prevent future disasters and honor those lost in those fateful 32 seconds.