Air India says report on fuel switch 'advisory, not mandatory'
What's the story
A preliminary investigation report has revealed that the fuel control switches of an Air India flight were moved from "run" to "cutoff" just before it crashed. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India released the report, which said that the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued an information bulletin in 2018 about possible disengagement of fuel control switch locking feature.
Crash overview
Bulletin issued in 2018
The Air India Boeing 737 had taken off from Ahmedabad and was headed to London when it crashed on June 12, killing all but one of the 242 people onboard and 19 on the ground. The FAA's bulletin, issued in December 2018, warned about the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature but did not consider it an unsafe condition that required a more serious directive.
Compliance issues
FAA's bulletin not mandatory
The AAIB report noted that Air India complied with all airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins on the aircraft. However, it also revealed that suggested inspections from the FAA's bulletin were not carried out by Air India, as they were advisory and not mandatory. Maintenance records showed that the throttle control module was replaced on VT-ANB in 2019 and 2023.
Pre-crash findings
What happened before the crash
The AAIB report stated that after the aircraft reached its maximum recorded speed, "the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 seconds." After this, the switches returned to the "RUN" position, and engines appeared to gather power. However, one pilot transmitted "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY."
Official statements
Boeing, Air India respond
Boeing has said that it will "continue to support the investigation and our customer," adding that their thoughts remain with those affected by the disaster. Meanwhile, Air India said it was "working closely with stakeholders, including regulators," and continues to cooperate fully with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses.
Preliminary report
Too early for conclusions
Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has urged caution in interpreting the preliminary report of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on last month's Air India crash. The incident involved an Ahmedabad-London flight, and the minister emphasized that "one should not jump into conclusions till the final report is released." He praised pilots and crew as "the backbone of civil aviation" and stressed their welfare.