The tragedy of Air India flight 171 has, in its aftermath, thrown up far more questions than answers. In an era of rigorous aviation standards, redundant systems, and near-flawless fail-safes, how a modern aircraft like the Boeing 787-8 could crash within seconds of take-off ~ in clear weather and with no warning from the crew ~ demands urgent clarity. What makes this disaster chilling is the apparent cause unearthed in the preliminary probe: both fuel control switches were in the “cut-off” position, a setting meant to shut down engines after landing.

Their simultaneous de-activation shortly after lift-off led to an immediate loss of thrust and triggered the aircraft’s descent into an Ahmedabad medical students’ canteen. While the switches were returned to the “run” position and engine relight procedures automatically initiated, the aircraft had neither the time nor the altitude to recover. These switches are not vulnerable to casual or accidental engagement. They are protected by physical locks and........

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