Air India finds 'no issues' with Boeing 787 fuel control switch locks

Following DGCA's inspection directive, Air India confirms no faults in fuel control switches on its Boeing 787s, with throttle modules replaced earlier as per schedule

Air India on Wednesday night informed its pilots that precautionary inspections of the fuel control switch locking system on all its Boeing 787 aircraft had been completed with no issues found, adding that the throttle control modules on all these planes had already been replaced earlier as per Boeing’s maintenance schedule.

 

Two days after the release of a preliminary probe into the AI171 crash, India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on July 14 directed all airlines operating Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft to inspect the locking mechanism of fuel control switches and submit their findings by July 21.

 

The preliminary report of India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that on the night of the June 12 crash, both fuel control switches on Air India flight AI171 transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF just seconds after take-off, leading to a dual engine failure and subsequent tragedy. The report did not explain the reasons for this switch movement. 

 

In its internal message, Air India said: “Over the weekend, our Engineering team initiated precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of Fuel Control Switch (FCS) on all our Boeing 787 aircraft. The inspections have been completed and no issues were found.”

 

It added: “All our Boeing 787-8 aircraft have also undergone Throttle Control Module (TCM) replacement as per the Boeing maintenance schedule. The FCS is part of this module.”

 

The fuel control switch, located on the aircraft’s centre console, controls the fuel supply to the engines. Its locking mechanism is meant to prevent accidental movement from the “RUN” to “CUTOFF” position. A disengagement of this lock could result in inadvertent engine shutdown.

 

The airline also advised pilots to remain vigilant: “Please continue to remain vigilant and report any defect in the Technical Log, as per the existing reporting process. The Coruson tool is also available, should there be any concerns identified during operations.”

 

Business Standard had earlier reported that several Indian airlines had started inspecting this component after international attention turned to its design. Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways began voluntary checks on their Boeing 787 fleets earlier this week, while South Korea’s transport ministry said it would soon mandate similar inspections across Boeing aircraft in the country. 

 

According to planespotters.net, the Indian carriers impacted by the fuel switch advisory include Air India (which has 57 Boeing jets), Air India Express (75), SpiceJet (29), IndiGo (10 leased Boeing aircraft), and Akasa Air (30). Of these, only Air India and IndiGo operate the Boeing 777, which uses a different fuel control switch and is not subject to inspection.

 

The locking feature on the switch was the subject of a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory in 2018 (SAIB NM-18-33), which warned that the switch could be installed in ways that disable the lock. Although not declared an “unsafe condition” warranting a mandatory airworthiness directive, the FAA had recommended that airlines inspect the switches and replace any with disabled locking mechanisms. Honeywell is the manufacturer of these switches.

 

In recent days, regulators and airlines have taken fresh interest in the switch’s design and reliability, prompting precautionary inspections worldwide. The FAA advisory had highlighted the potential for “unintentional fuel shutoff” if the locking mechanism was not engaged.