Air India Flight Crash: Aviation Regulator Orders Fuel Control Inspection Of Boeing, Other Planes
The inspection is mandatory and should be completed by July 21, the DGCA said
Air India Flight Crash: India's aviation regulator has ordered an inspection of the Fuel Control system of Boeing and other aircraft operating in the country.
The move by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) came after a 15-page preliminary report on the Air India plane crash on June 12, which killed 260 people, revealed that the switches supplying fuel to the aircraft's engines were turned off within a span of one second after take-off—one of the key factors behind the tragedy.
The inspection is mandatory and should be completed by July 21, the DGCA said.
The aircraft models to be inspected include a wide range of Boeing planes such as the 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, and 787, along with older models like the 717 and 727, as well as some McDonnell Douglas aircraft (MD-11 and MD-90 series). Many Indian carriers operate these aircraft in their fleets.
The Ahmedabad crash was the first time that Boeing's best-selling Dreamliner suffered a fatal accident resulting in hull loss.
What Is Fuel Switch? How Does It Work?
On June 12, the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner began to lose thrust almost immediately after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport and ploughed into a medical college hostel, killing all but one of the 242 onboard and another 19 on ground in the deadliest aviation accident in a decade.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary probe report on the fatal Air India plane accident has put the spotlight on the fuel switches of the crashed Boeing 787-8 and the confusion among the two pilots over the switches being cut off.
Fuel switches regulate the flow of fuel into an aircraft's engines. The switch has two positions — 'RUN' and 'CUT OFF' — and are used to start or shut down engines.
According to a veteran pilot, the position of a fuel switch cannot be changed accidentally and there is a procedure in place.
The fuel switches are generally guarded with brackets so that there are no accidental movements. The switches have to be first pulled up before changing their position, the pilot said.
In a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the fuel switches are located under the thrust levers. In the case of the ill-fated AI 171 flight, the fuel switches to the two engines of the aircraft were cut off within a gap of one second and later, they were switched on.
(with PTI inputs)
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Time of India
17 hours ago
- Time of India
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1 2 3 Kolkata: A day after DGCA ordered checks on fuel control switches of Boeing aircraft based on a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) NM-18-33 issued by US regulator Federal Aviation Authority in Dec 17, 2018, an Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by FAA on Sept 19, 2015, on fuel shutoff valves has come to light. This AD, which required mandatory compliance, was flagged again a month later by UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which issued a safety notice requiring airlines to check fuel shutoff valves on Boeing aircraft. It mentioned that while fuel shutoff valves on aircraft, including B737, B757, B767, and B777, required inspection, those on B787s needed to be replaced. The AI plane that crashed on June 12 was a B787 Dreamliner. The preliminary investigation report also established that the crash was due to the plane losing thrust as fuel to the engines was cut off. While the report mentions transitioning the fuel switch from ON to CUT OFF and back to ON, some pilots say this sequence was required to be carried out in case fuel flow to the engines ceased, per the Boeing manual. The 2015 AD, the 2018 SAIB as well as the valve problem being raised again by CAA point to an inherent issue with the throttle control module used in B787 aircraft, and not just the fuel switches hinted at in the preliminary report. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pernas e tornozelos inchados? Descubra o que pode ajudar a drenar agora aartedoherbalismo Undo You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The CAA safety notice (SN-2015/005) issued on May 15, 2025, less than a month before the June 12 Air India crash, reiterated the 2015 AD issued by FAA. It reads: "...the fuel shutoff valve actuators on the B787... require replacement, test and/or inspection..." "The Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO) for operators of B787 aircraft should immediately make themselves aware of the relevant AD and establish whether it affects any aircraft... The operation check AD must be documented in the Operations Manual along with reference to the AD number," the notice added. Aviation safety experts and airline pilots said the AD was absolutely critical. An airline official said Indian carriers were mandated to follow the ADs issued by DGCA, while the CAA AD requires compliance by UK airlines. They acknowledged that the AD issued by FAA in Sept 2015 needed to be compulsorily acted upon and said DGCA issued the AD concerned in 2015. AI was under govt management back then. Airline sources said necessary action was taken.
