Etihad Orders Fuel Switch Checks After Air India Crash
air India Crash Probe: FAA Advisory on Fuel Switch Locks Under Scrutiny
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New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report into the Air India Boeing 787-8 crash has brought a 2018 advisory from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding fuel switch locks into sharp focus. While the FAA’s advisory recommended inspections, it did not mandate them, a detail that has emerged as a key point in the ongoing investigation.
Fuel Switch Locks in the Spotlight
The AAIB’s preliminary investigation report, released on Saturday, July 12, revealed that the fuel switches for both engines of the Air India flight were found to be in the ‘off’ position seconds before the aircraft crashed during its ascent from Ahmedabad. This finding has prompted a closer look at the safety mechanisms surrounding these critical components.
What the FAA’s 2018 Advisory entailed
In 2018, the FAA issued an advisory that recommended operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking feature of their fuel cutoff switches. The aim of this advice was to ensure that these switches could not be inadvertently moved.However, the advisory did not carry a mandate for airlines to carry out these inspections, nor did it provide a specific timeline for their completion, according to a Reuters report.
Despite the AAIB’s findings, both Boeing and the FAA privately issued notifications to airlines and regulators on Sunday, July 13.These communications asserted that the fuel switch locks on Boeing aircraft are safe and that further checks are not required, as reported by Reuters.
Air India Initiates Fleet-Wide Inspections
In response to the safety concerns highlighted by the crash investigation, Air India Group has launched a fleet-wide inspection of the fuel switch locking mechanisms on its Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that approximately half of the airline’s 787 Dreamliners and nearly all of its 737 fleet have already undergone these examinations. The inspections are anticipated to conclude within the next one to two days, with no issues identified thus far.
In an internal memo issued on Monday, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson stated that the investigation into the crash is “far from over” and cautioned against drawing premature conclusions following the release of the preliminary report.
The Air India preliminary report noted that the airline had not conducted the inspections suggested by the FAA in its 2018 advisory, citing its non-mandatory nature. However, the report also indicated that maintenance records showed the throttle control module, which houses the fuel switches, had been replaced on the aircraft involved in the crash in both 2019 and 2023.