What Is a Fuel Switch? The Crucial Cockpit Device Linked to the Air India 2025 Crash.

Knowledge Barrel
Jul 12
3 min read

On June 12, 2025, tragedy struck when Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people. As investigators scrambled for answers, one seemingly small detail emerged from the wreckage—both fuel control switches were found in the “CUTOFF” position.

But what is a fuel switch? How can a switch cause a modern aircraft to lose both engines midair? In this article, we break down this critical cockpit component in simple terms, and explore how its misuse (or malfunction) may have played a role in one of India’s worst aviation disasters.

What Is a Fuel Switch?

A fuel switch, also called a fuel control switch or fuel shutoff lever, is a critical part of an aircraft's engine control system. It regulates the flow of fuel from the aircraft’s tanks to the engines. Simply put, it tells the engine when to start receiving fuel and when to stop.

Think of it like the ignition switch of a car. Without turning it on, your car won’t start. Similarly, unless a fuel switch is in the correct position (usually marked as “RUN”), an aircraft engine can’t function.

The Main Positions of a Fuel Switch

Most commercial jets like the Boeing 787 have two key positions for each engine’s fuel switch:

RUN – Allows fuel to flow to the engine. Used during normal flight operations.
CUTOFF – Shuts off fuel supply. Used when shutting down the engine, typically after landing or during an emergency.

These switches are placed on the center pedestal between the pilot and co-pilot. Because of their importance, they are usually guarded or protected to prevent accidental activation.

Fuel Switches in the Air India Crash

According to the preliminary investigation report on the Air India Flight AI171 crash, something alarming happened just seconds after takeoff:

The fuel switches for both engines were moved from RUN to CUTOFF.
As a result, fuel flow to the engines stopped, and both engines lost power.
The cockpit voice recorder captured confusion among the crew:
“Why did you cut off the fuel?”“I did not do so.”
One engine was briefly restarted, but by then the aircraft had lost too much altitude to recover.

This tragic sequence of events is what led to the crash.

Why Are Fuel Switches So Critical?

Aircraft engines rely entirely on a steady flow of fuel to generate thrust. Without it, the engines shut down—just like a candle going out when the wax supply is cut.

Fuel switches act as manual gates that control this flow. In normal operations:

Pilots turn the switch to RUN before takeoff, allowing the engine to ignite and run.
After landing, the switch is turned to CUTOFF to safely shut down the engines.

Switching them to CUTOFF mid-flight is not part of any standard procedure, except in extreme emergencies such as engine fire.

Are Fuel Switches Easy to Flip?

Not at all. On modern jets, fuel switches are:

Guarded with protective covers to prevent accidental bumps
Located where only intentional movement can flip them
Often require lifting or pulling before moving (similar to how car gear shifts work)

This makes the AI171 incident more mysterious, as both switches were moved to CUTOFF within one second, and investigators still don’t know why.

What Do Experts Think Happened?

While the full investigation is ongoing, several theories are being considered:

Pilot Error: One possibility is accidental or mistaken movement by a crew member. However, the protected nature of the switches makes this unlikely without deliberate action.
Mechanical Failure: In 2018, the FAA flagged a possible issue with the locking mechanism of 787 fuel switches. If the lock fails, a vibration or unintended movement might cause the switch to flip.
Sabotage or Intentional Act: Although no conclusive evidence supports this yet, the synchronized flipping of both switches raises questions.
Software or System Glitch: Could the aircraft’s computer system have mistakenly registered a shutdown command? Boeing is investigating further.

At this point, the exact cause remains unclear, but what’s certain is that the fuel switches played a key role in the loss of the aircraft.