GROUNDED CONFIDENCE: India Orders Boeing Fuel Switch Inspections After Air India Crash Linked to Fuel Switch Flaw

India’s aviation regulator has ordered an urgent technical review of Boeing aircraft operated in the country, just days after a preliminary investigation into the deadly Air India Flight AI171 crash revealed that both engines shut down seconds after takeoff due to fuel starvation — a result of fuel control switches being moved to the “cutoff” position.

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The directive, issued Monday by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), mandates that Indian airlines operating Boeing 787 Dreamliners and select Boeing 737 variants inspect the integrity of the fuel control switch locking mechanisms by July 21 and submit compliance reports.

The DGCA’s order comes in the wake of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report, which confirmed that both fuel control switches on the ill-fated Boeing 787-8 were manually flipped from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within one second of each other shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12. 

The resulting dual engine shutdown occurred just 32 seconds before the aircraft slammed into a medical college compound, killing 260 people, including 19 on the ground.

The switches in question were already flagged in a 2018 advisory by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (SAIB No. NM-18-33), which warned of possible disengagement of the locking mechanism — allowing for inadvertent switch movement mid-flight. 

While the advisory was not legally binding, Air India had acknowledged receipt but chose not to implement corrective action, citing the non-mandatory nature of the bulletin.

Investigators confirmed there was no evidence of pilot intoxication, fatigue, or technical defects in the engines themselves. 

Flight data showed that engine thrust was still being commanded even though physical throttle levers were found in idle at the crash site, indicating a potential system disconnect.

The black box recording also captured confusion in the cockpit seconds before the crash: one pilot asked, “Why did you cutoff?”, to which the other responded, “I didn’t.”

The Boeing 787 was cleared for takeoff, weather conditions were normal, and the aircraft was well within its weight limits. Both pilots were fit and certified. 

Investigators ruled out bird strikes or external sabotage but have not yet resolved whether the switch movements were accidental, mechanical, or human error.

The DGCA’s decision to include Boeing 737s in its inspection order reflects a broader caution, as the FAA bulletin had covered multiple Boeing models — citing reports from operators who found the fuel switches installed without functioning locking features.

The implications are global. Boeing, the FAA, and Honeywell — the switch manufacturer — are now collaborating with Indian authorities to trace fault patterns across fleets. 

Aviation safety experts say this case shows the dangers of treating airworthiness bulletins as optional.

Air India, which operates 33 Dreamliners, has not issued a public statement on this particular technical review so far. 

The Tata-owned carrier is also undergoing a comprehensive systems audit initiated by the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The AAIB’s final report is expected to reshape international thinking around advisory compliance, particularly where a mechanical flaw — however minor it appears — can cascade into catastrophe.