No Safety Fault In Boeing Switches, Says US Regulator

US aviation authorities have declared that the fuel control mechanisms in Boeing aircraft do not pose a safety risk, despite their reported involvement in the June crash of an Air India flight that claimed 260 lives.

This component has drawn scrutiny after investigators released an initial report last Friday outlining early findings from the crash.

The report revealed that both engines of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner lost fuel supply shortly after departing from Ahmedabad airport. It also referenced older guidance suggesting that the fuel control switches be reviewed to ensure operational integrity.

In internal communication, Air India’s top executive cautioned against “premature conclusions” being formed based on this preliminary document.

The crash of Flight 171, en route to London, is among the deadliest air disasters the world has seen in recent years.

According to the early findings, the switches that manage fuel delivery to the engines had been shifted from the “run” to “cut-off” mode, severely reducing engine thrust. This information came from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).

The AAIB pointed to a 2018 advisory issued by the US aviation regulator, which had encouraged though not required Boeing aircraft operators to verify that the safety lock on the fuel cut-off switches could not be disengaged unintentionally.

Air India, investigators said, had not carried out this suggested check.

On Friday, the US regulator confirmed it had reviewed the AAIB’s preliminary assessment. It explained that the earlier advisory was prompted by cases in which the locking function on the switches was found to be disengaged during installation.

“Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787,” said the authority, in an internal note shared with the BBC.

“The FAA will continue to share relevant information with foreign civil aviation authorities as appropriate.”

Cockpit audio recovered from the wreckage revealed a moment of confusion, with one pilot asking the other why the fuel had been shut off.

“The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” said the report.

The switches reportedly changed position at almost the same moment shortly after takeoff. However, the report did not provide a clear explanation for how or why that occurred.

Air India’s chief executive, Campbell Wilson, reiterated in an internal message that reaching any conclusions about what caused the incident is premature.

He described a “cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines” that had circulated since the crash, many of which he claimed had since been debunked.

The preliminary report, he emphasized, had not pointed to a definitive cause nor issued any formal recommendations.

“The investigation is far from over”, he said.

“We will continue to cooperate with the investigators to ensure they have everything they need to conduct a thorough and comprehensive enquiry.”

Wilson also noted that the aircraft involved had no mechanical or maintenance issues, and that all standard inspections were completed before the journey.

Despite this, the airline decided to perform additional inspections across its entire 787 fleet shortly after the accident “out of an abundance of caution.” All aircraft passed these checks and were declared airworthy.

Flight 171 had been scheduled to operate from Ahmedabad, India, to Gatwick Airport in London.

Tragically, the aircraft crashed into a nearby medical college complex less than a minute after takeoff. The crash resulted in 260 fatalities—mostly passengers. One person, a British national, survived.

A final and more detailed report on the crash is expected within the next year.