UK Warned Of Boeing Fuel Switch Fault Before Crash
A safety alert issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) weeks before the Air India Flight 171 crash warned of a potential issue with the fuel shut-off valve actuators on Boeing aircraft, including the 787 Dreamliner model involved in the incident. The advisory, dated May 15, urged immediate inspection of these components, which are critical to engine fuel flow.
Engine Switches Moved To Cutoff Mid-Flight
The fatal crash occurred on June 12 near Ahmedabad, killing 241 passengers and crew, along with 19 people on the ground. Preliminary investigations show that both fuel control switches in the cockpit moved from RUN to CUTOFF during takeoff, resulting in a total loss of engine power.
Voice recordings from the cockpit captured one pilot asking, “Why did he cut off?” and the other responding, “I did not do so,” suggesting no manual action had been taken.
Technical Checks Show No Other Fault
Initial inspections found no evidence of fuel contamination or mechanical failure outside the fuel switch assembly. The aircraft’s maintenance records and crew health reports were clear. However, experts are now questioning whether a known locking issue with the fuel switch design could have caused the failure.
The design concern had been flagged as early as 2018 by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), though no mandatory fix was issued.
India Responds With Inspections
In the wake of the crash, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has instructed all operators using Boeing aircraft to inspect fuel switch locking mechanisms by July 21. Airlines including Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara are complying. So far, no defects have been reported.
The crash has also prompted international airlines to begin precautionary checks on their Boeing fleets. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the UK alert had been shared with Indian operators ahead of the accident.
Safety Over Silence
While Boeing and aviation authorities continue to maintain that the current switch design is safe, the incident has raised questions about the urgency with which non-mandatory safety advisories are acted upon. Aviation analysts say that any known risk—no matter how small—must be addressed promptly to avoid tragedies.
