In Episode 28 of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike dive deep into the just-released preliminary report on Air India Flight 171, the tragic 787 crash out of Ahmedabad. What initially looked like a puzzle of flap settings, weather, and electrical theories now zeroes in on a chilling cockpit moment: both engines lost power after the fuel cutoff switches were mysteriously triggered just seconds after takeoff. Was it mechanical failure or human error? We break it all down.

We also hit:

🧳 Stories from the Road

• TSA shenanigans, PreCheck weirdness, and the return of “swamp crotch”

• Elevator etiquette and breakfast missions in Anchorage

• Hotel crew discounts getting shady – who’s pretending to be a pilot?

📉 Air India 171 Full Breakdown

• Engine and MEL history

• Weather, flap settings, and failed theories

• A haunting cockpit exchange: “Why did you cut off the fuel?”

• The unexpected deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)

• A similar story from a T-1 student pilot who cut off fuel… on the ramp. A rare mistake, but not unheard of.

🛫 In The News

• TSA considers ending the shoe removal rule (Finally.)

• Why you’ll still need to take out your charger but might get to keep your shoes

• Southwest’s pricing changes and customer identity crisis

• Hotel charging setups – why does every room seem built for 2003?

This one’s full of insight, stories, and those moments in aviation that make you go: Wait, what just happened?

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✈️ The Black Box Aviation Podcast
Real pilots. Real stories. What really happens when someone accidentally shuts down both engines? Let’s talk about it.