Air India crash report: Why a secret emergency turbine called RAT couldn’t save the doomed jet

When Air India Flight VT-ANB lost power seconds after takeoff, a small emergency device, the Ram Air Turbine, or RAT—deployed automatically. But despite functioning as intended, it couldn’t prevent disaster.

The RAT is a wind-powered backup system on modern jets like the Boeing 787. It’s designed to deploy when both main engines and the auxiliary power unit fail. Using the force of incoming air, the RAT generates just enough hydraulic and electrical power to keep vital flight systems running: basic controls, key instruments, and communication. It’s not built to restore engine thrust or maintain full aircraft performance.

According to the preliminary report into the June 12 crash, the London-bound Air India plane took off from Ahmedabad and reached an airspeed of 180 knots. Then, both engine fuel control switches—located below the thrust levers—moved from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ within one second of each other. That movement cut off fuel to the engines and caused an immediate power loss.

The cockpit voice recorder captured the crew’s disbelief. One pilot asked the other, “Why did you cut off the fuel?” The response: “I didn’t.”

Seconds later, the RAT deployed—a clear signal of total power failure. The pilots moved the switches back to ‘RUN’ in an attempt to relight the engines. Engine 1 began to recover, but Engine 2 never stabilized. 

Despite the RAT keeping critical systems alive, the aircraft lost altitude rapidly. It failed to clear the airport perimeter and crashed into a nearby hostel, killing 260 people.

Investigators confirmed the RAT worked. It provided emergency power, allowing pilots to briefly control the aircraft and attempt engine restart. But at such low altitude and speed, there simply wasn’t enough time or energy for a recovery.

The report found no signs of bird strike, weather interference, or sabotage. Both fuel switches were found in the ‘RUN’ position in the wreckage, consistent with a recovery attempt. Why the switches moved to ‘CUTOFF’ in the first place remains the central question.

The fuel switches themselves had been flagged in a past FAA advisory for a potential design concern—but no mandatory inspection was ever issued, and none was carried out by Air India. Investigators are now exploring whether a mechanical fault, design oversight, or inadvertent movement triggered the fatal chain of events.

The RAT did its job. The crew responded quickly. But the odds were impossible. Without engine power, even the best emergency systems can only do so much.