A preliminary report into the Air India crash last month finds that both fuel control switches were moved to cut-off position - a step that usually turns off the engines - moments before the plane crashed.
The report says cockpit voice recording shows confusion between the two pilots.
One is heard asking his colleague why he "did the cut-off" - and the other pilot said he did not do so.
The preliminary findings also reference a 2018 Federal Aviation Authority bulletin alerting operators to the possible disengagement of the fuel switch locking mechanism.
However, there is no clear explanation of how this mechanical issue could have caused both switches to flip nearly simultaneously.
The bulletin was advisory and inspections by Air India were skipped.
The airline’s past maintenance included throttle module replacements in 2019 and 2023. None of these replacements were linked to the fuel control switches.
Until further investigation digs into whether this was human error or a rare mechanical malfunction, the cause remains unresolved.
At least 260 people were killed in the crash, and the sole survivor - British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh - escaped the wreckage through an opening in the fuselage.
Source: BBC
