MUMBAI, July 18: The captain of Air India Flight 171, which crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad last month, killing 241 of the 242 people on board, reportedly handed control of the aircraft to his first officer seconds before the disaster, according to information retrieved from the flight’s black boxes.

Sources familiar with the cockpit voice recordings told Italy’s Corriere della Sera that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal told First Officer Clive Kunder, “The plane is in your hands,” moments before the plane left the runway. While it is not uncommon for a first officer to pilot a flight during takeoff, aviation experts have questioned the timing and circumstances of the handover.

Flight data shows the aircraft took off at 1:38pm and remained airborne for just 30 seconds before it lost power and crashed into a residential area, killing 19 people on the ground. The sole survivor on board remains in critical condition.

Investigators say the plane’s engines lost thrust shortly after takeoff, and that the fuel control switches—critical to maintaining engine power—had been moved from the ‘run’ position to ‘cutoff’ within seconds of liftoff. According to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), both switches were turned off and then switched back on about ten seconds later, but not in time to prevent the crash.

The AAIB’s preliminary report, released last week, confirmed that no mechanical or maintenance faults were found on the aircraft. However, the cause of the fuel cutoff remains under investigation. The switches are designed with safety locks that require manual lifting to operate, making an accidental flip highly unlikely.

Cockpit audio captured in the seconds before the crash suggests rising tension between the two pilots. According to sources briefed on the U.S. assessment of the recordings, First Officer Kunder can be heard repeatedly asking, “Why did you shut off the engines?” to which the senior pilot vaguely replied, “I didn’t do it.” The exchange, lasting six seconds, has been interpreted by some officials as an indirect admission that the captain may have cut the fuel supply.

Flight data further reveals that after the aircraft reached approximately 650 feet, a backup power system—known as the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)—deployed, indicating both engines had lost power. Although the fuel switches were returned to ‘run’ and the engines attempted to restart, the aircraft lacked the altitude and time to recover. The jet clipped treetops and a chimney before crashing into a nearby medical college, erupting in flames.

Aviation experts remain baffled by the switch movement. “It’s absolutely bizarre for the engine cutoff switches to be flipped just after takeoff,” said Terry Tozer, a former airline pilot, speaking to Sky News. “Unfortunately, the altitude was so low that the engines didn’t have time to recover.”

The AAIB has yet to identify which pilot flipped the switches, and cockpit audio alone has not definitively clarified the roles each pilot played in the final moments. U.S. officials reviewing the early data believe that as the flying pilot, First Officer Kunder would likely have had both hands on the Dreamliner’s controls, suggesting Captain Sabharwal may have been responsible for manipulating the switches.

Captain Sabharwal had logged over 15,000 hours of flight time, while Kunder had 3,400. According to colleagues cited in Indian media, Sabharwal had recently taken bereavement leave following his mother’s death but had been medically cleared to fly.

Some sources have raised questions regarding the mental health history of one of the pilots. Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a prominent Indian aviation safety expert, told The Daily Telegraph that one pilot had previously taken extended medical leave for mental health reasons. However, this has not been confirmed by the authorities, and Air India maintains both pilots were fully certified for duty.

India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, has urged the public to avoid premature conclusions. “Let us wait for the final report,” he told reporters.

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson echoed that message in an internal memo, stating that while the preliminary report found no mechanical issues, further investigation is required to determine the human factors involved.

In response to the crash, Indian aviation authorities have ordered comprehensive checks across Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The airline operates 33 of the aircraft.

The AAIB has not issued any immediate safety recommendations to Boeing or the engine manufacturer, General Electric. The agency criticised elements of the international media for “selective and unverified reporting,” stating that the investigation remains ongoing and that drawing conclusions at this stage is premature.

The final report into the crash is expected within 12 months, in line with international aviation standards.