Boeing aircraft under scanner: DGCA orders urgent fuel switch lock checks after shocking Air India crash findings
Global action follows Air India crash probe
The preliminary findings from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the June crash of an Air India Boeing 787 have led to renewed attention on the locking mechanism of fuel control switches. Although US regulators and Boeing maintain that the design is safe, global carriers, including Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines, have already begun reviewing the system.
In India, DGCA has now made it mandatory for airlines to inspect Boeing 787s and selected 737 variants, such as those operated by Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet. These inspections must be completed by July 21, 2025, and the reports submitted to the aviation authority.
🚨🇮🇳#BREAKING | NEWS ⚠️ apparently the fuel cut off switches were flipped 'from run to cutoff 'just after takeoff starving the engines of fuel causing the Air India plane to crash 1 pilot can be heard asking the other' why he shut off the fuel' WSJ report pic.twitter.com/XZp5DHzRnb
FAA bulletin from 2018 triggered the inspection timeline
The DGCA's directive refers to a 2018 bulletin issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which discussed the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature on various Boeing aircraft models—including 717, 737, 747, 757, 767, 787, MD-11, and MD-90-30 series planes.
According to the DGCA, 'Strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations.' Airlines have been asked to share their inspection plans and submit final compliance reports once the checks are done.
Key safety questions after Air India crash
The Air India Dreamliner that crashed in June had its fuel control switches moved to the 'cutoff' position shortly after takeoff, which led to both engines shutting down. The AAIB report confirmed that this movement caused the aircraft to lose thrust and eventually crash. The incident has prompted investigators to look deeper into whether the fuel switches were accidentally moved by the pilots or failed due to another reason.
Modern aircraft like the Boeing 787 are designed with built-in safeguards—metal locks and guards—around the fuel switches to prevent such accidental activation. These design changes were implemented based on past incidents involving older Boeing models.
Air India had replaced the throttle control module (which includes the fuel switches) on the crashed aircraft twice—once in 2019 and again in 2023—as per Boeing's maintenance schedule.
Though the FAA's 2018 advisory was based on issues in smaller 737 models and had no direct link to the 787, Air India told investigators it had not acted on it since the advisory wasn't mandatory.
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