India’s aviation regulator ordered airlines on Monday to inspect the fuel control switches on several Boeing aircraft models, following a preliminary investigation into last month’s fatal Air India crash that revealed both engines lost fuel supply due to the switches being shut off.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated that the directive applies to Boeing 787 Dreamliners and certain variants of the Boeing 737. Airlines must complete the inspections and report their findings to the regulator by July 21.
The initial report, issued by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, examined the crash that occurred on June 12 in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner went down shortly after takeoff, killing 260 people, including 19 on the ground. Only one of the 242 passengers and crew members on board survived.
According to the report, the aircraft’s fuel cut-off switches were disengaged within one second of each other, resulting in a total loss of engine power. However, investigators have yet to determine why the switches moved from the “on” to the “off” position mid-flight. The report did not offer a definitive conclusion on the cause of the crash.
Cockpit voice recordings revealed a moment of confusion between the pilots, with one asking the other why the fuel had been cut off. The other pilot responded, “I didn’t do it,” the report noted.
These details have fueled speculation of possible human error, but at least two pilot unions have rejected such claims. On Sunday, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association voiced concern over “speculative narratives,” particularly criticizing “the reckless and baseless insinuation of pilot suicide.”
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said Monday that the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or its engines. In an internal memo to airline staff, seen by The Associated Press, Wilson emphasized that all mandatory maintenance tasks had been completed.
“There were no fuel quality issues, no abnormalities during the takeoff roll, and the pilots passed their mandatory alcohol tests before the flight,” the memo stated.
Following the crash, Indian authorities mandated deeper inspections of Air India’s entire Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, which includes 33 aircraft, to prevent future incidents. The report also referenced a 2018 advisory from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which urged airlines operating Boeing aircraft to inspect the locking function of the fuel cut-off switches.
