Air India has cleared its Boeing 787 fleet after inspecting the locking mechanisms of fuel control switches. The move follows the AAIB’s preliminary report into a deadly crash last month that raised concerns over sudden engine shutdown.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, July 16 – Air India has completed precautionary inspections of the locking mechanisms of fuel control switches (FCS) across its entire Boeing 787 fleet, with no faults detected, a senior airline official confirmed on Wednesday.
The checks were prompted by a recent directive from India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which asked all operators of Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft to inspect the fuel switch locking systems. The directive followed the release of a preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into last month’s fatal Air India crash that claimed 260 lives.
According to the official, the airline’s engineering team conducted the inspections over the weekend and communicated the results to pilots via an internal message. “The inspections are complete, and no issues were found,” the official said, adding that all Boeing 787-8 aircraft in the fleet have already undergone Throttle Control Module (TCM) replacements in accordance with Boeing’s maintenance schedule. The FCS is a component of the TCM.
Fuel control switches play a vital role in managing fuel flow to an aircraft’s engines. The AAIB’s 15-page preliminary report revealed that both switches in the crashed Boeing 787-8 had simultaneously moved from the “run” to “cutoff” position just seconds after takeoff, resulting in both engines shutting down.
“In the cockpit voice recordings, one pilot is heard asking the other, ‘Why did you cut off?’ to which the second pilot responds that he did not,” the report noted.
Though the AAIB referenced a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the report did not recommend specific actions for Boeing or engine manufacturer GE.
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As a precaution, Air India has also advised pilots to remain alert and report any irregularities in the aircraft’s technical logs.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global aviation body comprising around 340 airlines including Air India, welcomed the report. Speaking at an event in Singapore on Wednesday, IATA Director General and pilot Willie Walsh said the preliminary report offered more insight than expected and praised the transparency shown by Indian authorities.
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“I commend the Indian government and AAIB for the release of the preliminary report, which contained more information than most anticipated. That’s extremely helpful,” Walsh said. “I believe all airlines and aviation professionals will now be waiting for the final report, which will hopefully provide deeper clarity.”
Walsh further emphasized the importance of thorough, transparent investigations and timely publication of findings, adding that including video recordings alongside voice data could enhance future inquiries.
Meanwhile, pilot associations have pushed back against speculation of pilot error, maintaining that it is premature to assign blame before the investigation concludes.
