Air India has reported no mechanical issues with the fuel control switches on its Boeing 787 aircraft following precautionary inspections ordered after a fatal crash near Ahmedabad on June 14 that killed 260 people.
An internal review conducted by Air India found no problems with the locking mechanisms of the fuel control switches on its fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft, the airline confirmed this week. The checks were carried out in response to a directive from India’s civil aviation regulator following preliminary findings from a deadly crash last month.
The June 14 accident involved an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed into a residential area shortly after departing Ahmedabad International Airport en route to London. The crash claimed 260 lives, including 19 people on the ground. Investigators initially suggested that the aircraft’s fuel control switches may have moved from the “run” to “cutoff” position shortly after takeoff, potentially cutting fuel supply to the engines.
In response, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered all domestic carriers operating similar aircraft to inspect the locking mechanisms of the switches. This action followed a broader advisory from Boeing, which reassured operators of the switches’ safety, and was also consistent with a 2018 Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA’s notice had previously advised airlines to ensure that the switches could not be accidentally disengaged during flight.
“Over the weekend, our Engineering team initiated precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) on all our Boeing 787 aircraft,” Air India’s flight operations department stated in a memo circulated to its pilots. “The inspections have been completed and no issues were found,” it added, confirming that the airline had complied with regulatory directives.
The airline also confirmed that the Throttle Control Module (TCM), of which the FCS is a component, had already been replaced across its 787-8 fleet in line with Boeing’s scheduled maintenance program.
Similar precautionary checks have also been ordered by regulators in other countries. Singapore Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary Scoot completed inspections on their Boeing 787 aircraft and found all fuel switches functioning properly and in compliance with aviation standards, a company spokesperson told AFP.
As investigations into the Ahmedabad crash continue, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson urged staff in a letter on July 14 not to speculate on the cause, warning against drawing premature conclusions until the official findings are released.