All Indian aircraft ordered to check vital fuel switches behind jet crash – amid fears disaster was pilot suicide
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AIRLINES in India were today ordered to carry out urgent safety checks as the row over the crash which killed 260 people intensified.
In 2018 regulators warned that a safety mechanism on fuel switches could disengage, increasing the chance of accidentally cutting off the engines.
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All aircraft across India have been ordered to check vital fuel switches following the Air India disaster
Credit: Getty
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Tail of the doomed Air India flight
Credit: Reuters
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The fuel switch at the centre of the new compulsory checks
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The plane seconds before disaster
Credit: X
Air India didn't check its planes at the time because the notice was not mandatory.
But India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now ordered airlines to carry out checks by next Monday.
It comes as yet another pilot body slammed the preliminary report into the crash for turning the focus onto the captain and his first officer.
Although the 15-page report did not rule out a mechanical cause, experts said it pointed towards a deliberate human act leading to fears of pilot suicide or mass homicide.
The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) said it was "deeply disturbed by speculative narratives... particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide".
The association said: "There is absolutely no basis for such a claim at this stage. It is deeply insensitive to the individuals and families involved.
"To casually suggest pilot suicide without verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession.'
Flight AI 171 crashed on June 12 with the loss of 260 lives after first one fuel switch and then the other was turned off three seconds into the flight.
The black box recorded one of the pilots asking the other: 'Why did you cut off?' to which the second replied: 'I did not do so.'
The switches were turned back on but only one engine re-started and not in time to prevent the crash.
Air India victims' families slam 'cover-up' probe as questions remain over possible engine switch confusion
The report highlighted the 2018 US Federal Aviation Administration advice warning operators about the potential disengagement of the switches' locking mechanism, designed to prevent accidental operation.
It applied to various Boeing models, including the 787 which was the plane that crashed last month.
The notice was advisory, not mandatory, so Air India did not carry out any checks but the firm and all other airlines have now been ordered to do so.
The DGCA said today: 'All airline operators of the affected aircraft are hereby advised to complete the inspection required no later than 21st July, 2025.
'Strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations.'
It comes as fears grow that the doomed flight was a pilot suicide.
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Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the lead pilot in the doomed Air India flight
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Landing gear of the Air India plane crashed directly on the BJ Medical College UG hostel mess
Credit: x/mitrapredator
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A cockpit view of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft shows the fuel switch; Annotations by The Sun Graphics
Credit: Getty
And an aviation expert claimed this week that there was a vanishingly small chance the fuel was cut by accident.
Ex-pilot Terry Tozer told The Sun why it was extremely likely that the fuel switches were cut off intentionally.
The claims came after the preliminary report which revealed the final moments inside the cockpit was released on Saturday.
Air India's CEO was also revealed to have backed the doomed fight's pilots in a leaked memo, Reuters reported.
Key findings of the report:
Dual engine shutdown - fuel cutoff switches moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF'
- fuel cutoff switches moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' Confusion between pilots - cockpit audio confirms one pilot asked 'why did you cutoff', the other replied 'I didn't'
- cockpit audio confirms one pilot asked 'why did you cutoff', the other replied 'I didn't' RAT deployed - as seen in CCTV footage before the crash
- as seen in CCTV footage before the crash Engine relight attempted - fuel switches were found returned to the "RUN" at crash site
- fuel switches were found returned to the "RUN" at crash site 32 seconds - the time the aircraft was airborne before it crashed
the time the aircraft was airborne before it crashed Thrust levers mismatch - Thrust levers found at idle but black box data shows takeoff thrust was still engaged
- Thrust levers found at idle but black box data shows takeoff thrust was still engaged Fuel test pass - fuel was clean without any contamination
- fuel was clean without any contamination Normal take-off set-up - Flaps and landing gear correctly configured
- Flaps and landing gear correctly configured No bird activity - clear skies, good visibility, light winds
- clear skies, good visibility, light winds Pilot credentials clear - both medically fit and rested
- both medically fit and rested No sabotage detected - although FAA alerted over a known fuel switch vulnerability not checked by Air India
- although FAA alerted over a known fuel switch vulnerability not checked by Air India Aircraft loading - the flight was within weight and balance limits
Airline head Campbell Wilson said the probe into the horrific crash was far from over and warned it would be unwise to jump to any conclusions.
He said in the memo: "The release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place.
"Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions."
Wilson added: "The preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations, so I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over."
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260 people died in the horror crash in Ahmedadbad, India
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Clive Kunder was the co-pilot on the doomed flight
Credit: Getty
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