India, July 12 -- The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has revealed in its preliminary report that cockpit voice recordings from the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad captured a brief but critical exchange between the two pilots during the engine failure sequence.

According to the 15-page report, one pilot was heard asking, "Why did you cut off fuel?" to which the other replied, "I did not do so." The exchange took place moments after both engine fuel cutoff switches transitioned from 'Run' to 'Cutoff' at 13:38:42 IST (08:08:42 UTC), just as the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner reached a maximum speed of 180 knots indicated airspeed.

The report outlines a chain of technical events that unfolded in the final moments before the air...