A recent investigation by a US safety agency into the fatal crash of a China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737 in March 2022 has revealed that the fuel supply to both engines was intentionally switched off before the aircraft plummeted into a hillside. This shocking discovery has claimed 132 lives and is now drawing stark parallels to a separate Air India crash that occurred in Ahmedabad, India, last year.
NTSB Findings on China Eastern Flight MU5735
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, details the critical moments leading up to the China Eastern disaster in Tengxian County, near Wuzhou. Data from the aircraft's flight recorders, analyzed in the United States, showed that while cruising at 29,000 feet, the fuel switches for both engines moved from the 'Run' to the 'Cut-off' position simultaneously. This action led to a rapid decrease in engine speeds, preceding the plane's catastrophic descent.
Crucially, the NTSB clarified that its extensive four-year investigation did not identify any technical safety issues or mechanical failures with the Boeing 737 aircraft itself. This suggests that the fuel cut-off was not due to a malfunction, focusing attention on other potential factors.
Eerie Similarities with Air India Flight 171
The findings from the China Eastern probe cast a new light on the crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in its preliminary report released on July 12, 2025, cited engine failure after both fuel control switches were transitioned from 'Run' to 'Cut-off' just three seconds after take-off. This action, according to the AAIB, caused both engines of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to shut down, leading to the crash.
Pilot Associations Contest Air India Report
Indian pilot associations have strongly challenged the AAIB's preliminary report, which implicitly suggests pilot input as the cause of the Air India crash. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) recently wrote to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, proposing an alternative theory: a “pre-lift-off electrical disturbance.”
“Based on lithium-ion battery failures, relay behaviour under abnormal voltage, and Boeing 787 electrical design, a pre-lift-off electrical disturbance could have caused unintended relay operation and dual engine fuel cut-off without pilot input,” the FIP stated in its letter dated May 1.
Aviation experts, however, generally maintain that fuel cut-off switches are designed to require human intervention to toggle. The AAIB's final report on the Air India incident is expected by June 12, 2026, in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recommendations for a final report within twelve months of an incident.
Silence from Chinese Regulators
Adding another layer to the mystery, China's aviation regulators, specifically the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), have maintained complete silence regarding the China Eastern crash. Despite the NTSB's revelations, no official report or statement has been issued by Chinese authorities in over two years since the incident.