No issues found in fuel control switches of Boeing 787 aircraft: Air India

Airline says precautionary re-inspections were carried out after a pilot's observation and that it will circulate Boeing's operating guidance to crew

Air India on Wednesday said it has completed precautionary re-inspections of the fuel control switches on all its operational Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft and that no issues were found during the checks.

 

The airline said the inspections were carried out “in an abundance of caution” after an observation reported by one of its pilots.

 

In a statement, Air India also acknowledged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) “proactive oversight” in carrying out independent inspections and clearing the fuel control switches.

 

The airline said it will fully comply with the regulator’s guidance to circulate aircraft manufacturer Boeing’s recommended operating procedures for the fuel control switches to all crew members.

 

On Monday, the non-governmental organisation Safety Matters Foundation said that pilots on Air India’s AI132 London–Bengaluru flight found that the left engine fuel control switch on their Boeing 787 aircraft failed to remain locked in the “Run” position during engine start on two attempts and moved towards “Cutoff”.

 

Fuel control switches are cockpit switches that allow pilots to start or shut down an aircraft’s engines by moving them between the “Run” and “Cutoff” positions. Any unintended movement of these switches during flight can have serious consequences, which is why they are designed to lock into position.

 

These switches played a key role in the AI171 crash, operated using a Boeing 787 aircraft, which took place last year in Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. After the crash, fuel control switches on all Boeing 787 planes were checked and no issues were found.

 

After the new incident was reported on Monday, Air India began re-inspections of fuel control switches on all its Dreamliner aircraft.

 

Meanwhile, the DGCA on Tuesday said it found no issues with the fuel control switches on the Boeing 787-8 aircraft used to operate AI132. The regulator said post-flight inspections, carried out as per Boeing’s procedures, found the switches to be serviceable, with no abnormal engine parameters or alerts during the flight.

 

The DGCA noted that while the switch could move if pressed in an incorrect direction due to its angular design, this did not indicate a defect when operated as per approved procedures. It advised Air India to circulate Boeing’s operating guidance to pilots — a step the airline has said it will now implement across its fleet.