No abnormality found in Air India Dreamliner fuel switch: Govt
What's the story
The Indian government has said that no defects were found in the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft operated by Air India. The aircraft was grounded after a pilot reported a potential issue with the switch during a London-Bengaluru flight (AI 132). The same model's fuel control switches are under investigation for last year's Ahmedabad crash, which killed 260 people.
Inspection details
Detailed examination done under DGCA supervision
In a detailed response to Parliament, the government said that a thorough inspection of the aircraft's "thrust control module" was being conducted at a Boeing facility.
The government stated: "Detailed examination of fuel control switch, including structural integrity of fuel control switch detents, was carried out and no abnormality was observed."
This testing was done under the supervision of a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officer at Boeing's Seattle facility.
Crash probe
Ahmedabad crash investigation
On June 12, 2025, a similar Boeing model, AI 171, crashed in Ahmedabad shortly after take-off.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found both fuel switches flipped from "run" to "cutoff," cutting off fuel supply to the engines and causing the crash. However, it didn't determine whether this was due to a mechanical fault.
After the tragedy, Air India investigated its fleet's fuel control switches but found no issues.
Investigation timeline
Delay in final report
The final report on the Ahmedabad crash is expected to be released by the end of October.
The government has defended the delay in releasing this report, saying that "the timeline for a major accident investigation cannot be predicted."
They added that "a major accident investigation is an evolving process involving multiple variables."