Tata Group-owned Air India announced the grounding of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft following a pilot’s report of a potential defect in the fuel control switch. The airline took the aircraft out of service as a precautionary measure upon receiving the pilot’s information. Air India has engaged Boeing to urgently investigate and address the pilot’s concerns.
The airline has informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation about the matter and is adhering to all necessary safety protocols during the review process. Air India emphasized that it had previously conducted checks on the fuel control switches of all its Boeing 787 aircraft in compliance with a directive from the DGCA, which had revealed no issues at that time. Safety remains the top priority for Air India, ensuring the well-being of passengers and crew by maintaining the highest safety standards.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed Parliament about the ongoing investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the Air India flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad in June last year. The tragic incident claimed the lives of 241 passengers and crew on board the aircraft, along with 19 individuals on the ground. A preliminary report from the AAIB disclosed that both engines of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner lost thrust due to the fuel cut-off switches moving to the ‘CUTOFF’ position. However, the cockpit voice recorder revealed that one pilot did not turn off the fuel control switches, which were subsequently restored to the ‘RUN’ position just before the crash.
