^^^makes the more sense^^^ than any other explanation I've heard.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-new...nistry-8841505/amp/1


They seem rather interested in the position of the fuel cutoff switches in the cockpit. I think they were too low for any ‘mistaken’ cutoff of the good engine scenario.

If the fuel control switches were in cutoff position, that would explain most everything.

Lots of good discussion here, including much I can’t begin to understand ( ), but now it’s my turn to express skepticism that mistakes/improper actions by pilot(s) would necessarily be announced immediately. One possible reason to slow walk any reports would be, “What‽ What kind of people do you hire, and what sort of training do they receive?” I suspect that certain airline companies in certain parts of the world don’t have the best reputations as it is, and another “Here we go again” might just make people even less likely to fly with them. Plus if there were any indication of a deliberate act, I can think of several reasons why some companies and countries would like to keep that out of public knowledge.

Looks like the fuel cutoff switches were moved by the pilot

The article states "It is not known to TAC whether one or both of the fuel control switches for the GE engines in the cockpit were moved in the moments after takeoff from Runway 23 Ahmedabad." That's just a generic photo of the switches.



However, the article also has an interesting tidbit: "The 787's advanced fly-by-wire flight control system automatically compensates for any difference in thrust coming from one of the engines. Unlike the earlier-generation 777, the 787's flaperons, ailerons and rudder would automatically and fully adjust to keep the aircraft flying straight and not yawing toward from the ailing engine. The pilots also receive a tactile cue to asymmetric thrust with the automatic movement of the rudder pedals."

This would lend support to the theory that a single engine failure and subsequent shutdown of the wrong engine could have occurred without a noticeable visible shift in the plane's flight behavior.

Also interesting is that the Indian authorities said a few days ago that they cannot rule out sabotage. The article also stated that TAC was told that it's not a design or mechanical issue with the plane nor its engines.

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:

This would lend support to the theory that a single engine failure and subsequent shutdown of the wrong engine could have occurred without a noticeable visible shift in the plane's flight behavior.

The system does not work instantaneously. There would still be a noticeable yaw or observable movement of the aircraft before the system corrected the imbalance.

The deliberate manipulation of the fuel control switches does appear to be the leading theory though. And maybe not even a theory. The Air Current is pretty reputable and usually has very good sources, so they would seem to know something. The question then is why those switches were moved.