Air India says no issues found in Boeing 787, Boeing 737 fuel control switches

A preliminary report from the AAIB earlier this month found the switches had almost simultaneously flipped from ‘run’ to ‘cutoff’ shortly after takeoff, causing the engines to lose power.

The report cited a 2018 FAA advisory that urged operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking mechanism on fuel cutoff switches to prevent unintentional movement.

The FAA and Boeing have privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe, Reuters had reported.

Reuters reported last week, citing a source, that the cockpit recording on the Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick suggested the captain cut fuel to the engines.

The AAIB has said it is too early to draw any conclusions.

Air India operates a fleet of Boeing 787 twin-aisle jets on its long-haul operations, while low-cost unit Air India Express operates the Boeing 737 single-aisle jets.