AI171 Prelim Response

My thoughts on the Air India 171 Crash

• Based on preliminary report, fuel cutoff switches were switched off to each engine.
• These switches in that aircraft have a specialized mechanism that requires an upward pull to release mecahnism
• poor maintenance may have led these switches to be bumped as pilots said to another and asked if they were switched off and the other responded in the negative
• Otherwise some speculation suggests a suicide
• Flip guards were not installed which seems like a safety irregularity as these switches are integral for the operation ofthe engine and such engine powerloss is devastating for the aircraft especially at that altitude and without another reasoning for it.