Overview

• The cockpit voice recorder logs a tense multi-second exchange in which one pilot repeatedly asked “Why did you shut it off?” and the other replied “I didn’t.”
• India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has directed all local airlines to inspect fuel control switches on their Boeing 787 and 737 fleets by July 21.
• Critics say the preliminary Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau report condensed this crucial dialogue to a single line, prompting calls for full disclosure of cockpit audio recordings.
• Investigators are keeping all theories open—including deliberate pilot action, mechanical failure and human error—and are probing Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s recent medical and mental health history.
• FAA bulletins from 2018 and 2021 highlighted an inactive lock feature on some fuel switches and potential microprocessor fatigue in engine control units, though both advisories were non-mandatory.