CHILLING LAST WORDS: What Air India 171’s Pilot Said Will Haunt You!
Seconds before Air India Flight 171 crashed, the pilot’s final words were recorded—and they’re more terrifying than anyone imagined. What did he say that’s shaking the aviation world? The truth is darker than you think. 😱

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, en route to London Gatwick. Just 32 seconds later, the aircraft plummeted into a residential area, crashing into the BJ Medical College hostel and killing 260 people—241 of the 242 passengers and crew onboard, plus 19 on the ground. The sole survivor, Vishwaskumar Ramesh, described the plane as feeling “stuck” before the catastrophic descent. A preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), released on July 12, 2025, revealed the pilot’s final words, captured on the cockpit voice recorder (CVR): “Mayday… no thrust, losing power… unable to lift!” These words, attributed to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, have sent shockwaves through the aviation community, hinting at a desperate struggle against a mysterious failure. This article delves into the chilling last words, the ongoing investigation, and their broader implications for aviation safety, drawing on web reports and X posts for context.

The Crash: A 32-Second Nightmare

Flight 171 departed Ahmedabad at 1:38 PM IST (08:08 UTC) under clear skies, piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with over 15,600 flight hours, and First Officer Clive Kunder, with 3,400 hours. The Boeing 787 reached its takeoff decision speed (V1) of 153 knots and was airborne by 08:08:39 UTC. Three seconds later, at 08:08:42 UTC, both engines lost power, and the aircraft began to lose altitude. The CVR captured a tense exchange: one pilot asked, “Why did you cut off?” to which the other replied, “I did not do so.” At 08:09 UTC, Sabharwal issued the haunting distress call: “Mayday… no thrust, losing power… unable to lift!” Communication ceased as the plane crashed 1.85 kilometers from the runway, erupting into flames upon impact.

The AAIB’s report noted that the fuel-control switches for both engines moved to the “cutoff” position almost simultaneously, starving the engines of fuel. The switches were found in the “run” position at the crash site, suggesting an attempt to restore power. The deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a backup power system, indicated a total electrical failure. These details, combined with the pilot’s final words, suggest a catastrophic system failure that left the crew powerless, as reported by The Tribune and amplified in an X post by @rachelchitra.

The Pilot’s Last Words: A Cry for Help

The CVR’s recording of Captain Sabharwal’s final words—“Mayday… no thrust, losing power… unable to lift!”—paints a vivid picture of a cockpit in crisis. These words, first reported by Oneindia News on June 14, 2025, convey a desperate realization that the aircraft was not responding to the pilots’ commands. The phrase “no thrust” aligns with the AAIB’s finding that the engines lost power due to the fuel switches’ movement, while “unable to lift” suggests the plane’s inability to climb, likely due to a combination of power loss and aerodynamic stall. The additional CVR exchange—“Why did you cut off?” followed by “I did not do so”—indicates confusion and panic, ruling out intentional pilot action, as noted by Legit.ng.

The significance of these words lies in their implication of a systemic failure. Sabharwal’s distress call, issued just seconds after takeoff, suggests the pilots were grappling with an unexpected and uncontrollable event. Aviation expert Melissa Chen, in an X post, argued that the fuel switches’ spring-loaded design makes accidental movement unlikely, pointing to a possible software glitch or mechanical fault. The chilling nature of the words, coupled with their timing—36 seconds from takeoff to crash—has fueled public fascination and outrage, as seen in X posts by users like @TheErimtanAngle.

Theories Behind the Crash

Several theories have emerged to explain the crash and the pilot’s final words:

Software Glitch: A leading hypothesis, supported by a YouTube analysis from SkyFall, suggests a rare software glitch in the 787’s fly-by-wire system triggered an erroneous fuel cutoff. A 2021 FAA and GE Aerospace bulletin flagged issues with the Engine Control Unit (ECU) MN4 microprocessor, noting solder ball fatigue could disrupt fuel flow, as seen in a 2019 All Nippon Airways incident. This theory aligns with the pilots’ confusion, as the CVR suggests they did not manually move the switches.
Water Ingress: An X post by @daeroplate_v2 proposed that water from the aircraft’s rear toilets leaked into the electronic equipment (EE) bay during takeoff rotation, causing a short circuit. This could have disrupted the ECU, triggering the fuel cutoff. The RAT’s premature deployment, noted by Richard Godfrey on X, supports this theory, indicating a pre-existing electrical issue.
Mechanical Failure: The 2018 FAA advisory on the 787’s fuel-control switch locking mechanism, which Air India did not inspect, suggests a possible mechanical fault. If the switches disengaged unintentionally, it could explain the sudden power loss, though the CVR’s evidence of pilot surprise makes this less likely.
Deliberate Action: Some X posts, like one by @surveilz, speculated about intentional sabotage, but pilot groups have condemned such claims as baseless, citing Sabharwal’s 15,600 hours of experience and the CVR’s evidence of confusion.

The pilot’s last words—“no thrust, losing power”—lend credence to the software glitch or water ingress theories, as they suggest a sudden and uncontrollable system failure. The AAIB’s ongoing investigation, supported by the NTSB, Boeing, and GE Aerospace, is examining these possibilities, with a final report due by June 12, 2026.

Implications for Aviation Safety

The Air India 171 crash and its haunting final words have profound implications for aviation safety. The Boeing 787’s reliance on fly-by-wire technology, while innovative, introduces vulnerabilities when software or electrical systems fail. The 2019 All Nippon Airways incident, where a software glitch caused a fuel cutoff, underscores this risk. If water ingress is confirmed, it would point to a design flaw in the 787’s EE bay layout, requiring costly retrofits across Boeing’s global fleet of over 1,200 Dreamliners.

The incident has prompted immediate action. India’s DGCA ordered inspections of fuel-control switches on all 787s, effective July 25, 2025, and Air India reduced international flights by 15%, as noted by @RedboxWire on X. The tragedy has also reignited calls for cockpit video recorders, as suggested by Peter Goelz, a former NTSB official, to provide visual evidence of pilot actions. The absence of such cameras, noted in Legit.ng, limits investigators’ ability to confirm whether the switches were physically touched.

Public and Industry Reaction

The public reaction, amplified by social media, has been intense. X posts by users like @rachelchitra and @Kuntal__biswas highlight distrust in official narratives, with 3D animations and clone models illustrating potential technical failures. Families of the victims have protested in Ahmedabad, demanding the full CVR transcript, as reported by The Independent. Air India’s AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust aims to support affected families, but public anger persists, fueled by speculation of a cover-up.

Industry experts are divided. John Smith from Aviation Week praised the pilots’ attempt to restore power but warned that Boeing’s reputation hinges on addressing systemic issues. Mary Schiavo criticized the AAIB’s reluctance to release the full CVR, arguing it fuels distrust. The SkyFall YouTube video, viewed widely, claimed the pilot’s words reveal “patterns too dangerous to ignore,” amplifying calls for accountability.

The Human Toll and Legacy

The crash’s toll—260 lives lost, 67 injuries, and one survivor—has left a lasting scar. Vishwaskumar Ramesh, the sole survivor, recounted escaping the wreckage amid flames, a memory that haunts families and communities. The pilot’s final words, broadcast widely, have humanized the tragedy, portraying Sabharwal and Kunder as heroes who fought against impossible odds, as noted by @rachelchitra on X.

The words “Mayday… no thrust, losing power… unable to lift!” encapsulate the terror of those final seconds, serving as a stark reminder of aviation’s fragility. The international passenger manifest—169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian—underscores the global impact, as reported by IBTimes.

The Road Ahead

The Air India 171 crash and its chilling final words demand a reckoning for the aviation industry. Boeing faces pressure to address potential design flaws, whether in the EE bay or fly-by-wire systems. The AAIB’s final report will clarify whether a software glitch, water ingress, or mechanical fault caused the tragedy, but until then, speculation will persist. Airlines must prioritize advisory inspections, like the 2018 FAA bulletin, to prevent future failures.

For passengers, the pilot’s last words are a sobering reminder of the risks of air travel, even on advanced aircraft like the 787. Transparency, rigorous safety measures, and robust system redundancy are essential to restore trust. As the world awaits answers, the haunting echo of “no thrust, losing power” will drive the push for accountability and change.

Conclusion

The final words of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal—“Mayday… no thrust, losing power… unable to lift!”—are more than a distress call; they are a call to action for the aviation industry. The Air India Flight 171 crash, with its devastating toll, exposes the vulnerabilities of modern aircraft and the need for rigorous oversight. Whether caused by a software glitch, water ingress, or an unaddressed flaw, the tragedy underscores the stakes of aviation safety. As investigations continue, the industry must honor the victims by ensuring such a disaster never happens again. The pilot’s words will linger, a haunting reminder of the cost of failure.