Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet is one again under the lens after a pilot flagged a suspected malfunction in an engine fuel control switch, prompting the airline to immediately ground the aircraft and escalate the matter to aircraft manufacturers and India’s aviation regulator.
The development has brought back unresolved questions surrounding fuel control switches — components that were central to the investigation into the catastrophic Air India crash in Ahmedabad in June last year that killed 260 people.
What the pilot reported
On Monday, February 2, an Air India pilot reported unusual behaviour involving one of the aircraft’s engine fuel control switches.
The aircraft in question was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating a scheduled long-haul service from London to Bengaluru. According to sources familiar with the matter, the pilot flagged the issue after the aircraft landed safely in the southern Indian city.
The airline did not publicly disclose the precise technical nature of the suspected defect or provide detailed flight information. However, aviation safety advocacy group Safety Matters Foundation said the crew observed abnormal behaviour during engine start-up procedures.
According to the foundation’s statement, the left engine fuel control switch did not remain secured in the ‘RUN’ position and instead moved toward ‘CUTOFF’ on two separate attempts.
Sources told Reuters that the pilot noted that the switch appeared to slip out of position if pushed down slightly and did not lock properly. The aircraft involved — registration VT-ANX — is nine years old and had been deployed on the London-Bengaluru sector at the time of the report.
Upon receiving the pilot’s feedback,
Air India withdrew the aircraft from service. “After receiving this initial information, we have grounded the said aircraft,” the airline said, adding that it had begun engaging with the aircraft manufacturer on an urgent basis.
The matter was also formally communicated to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s civil aviation regulator.
An Air India spokesperson later confirmed, stating, “We are aware that one of our pilots has reported a possible defect on the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft. After receiving this initial information, we have grounded the aircraft and are involving the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) to get the pilot’s concerns checked on a priority basis. The matter has been communicated to the aviation regulator, DGCA. Air India had checked the fuel control switches on all Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet after a directive from the DGCA, and had found no issues. At Air India, the safety of our passengers and crew remains top priority.”
Boeing, which manufactured the aircraft, confirmed its involvement, stating, “We are in contact with Air India and are supporting their review of this matter.”
Honeywell is the manufacturer of the fuel control switches installed on the aircraft.
How fuel control switches work
Fuel control switches play a vital role in aircraft engine management. Their primary function is to regulate the flow of fuel into the engines, allowing pilots to start or shut down engines on the ground.
In flight, the switches can be used manually to shut down or restart an engine if an engine failure or abnormal condition occurs.
On Boeing 787 aircraft, including those operated by Air India and powered by two General Electric engines, the fuel control switches are positioned below the thrust levers on the cockpit’s central console.
Each engine has its own dedicated switch, and the systems governing these switches operate independently, with separate power supplies and wiring.
The switches are spring-loaded and engineered to remain firmly in the selected position. To change a switch from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ or vice versa, a pilot must first pull the switch upward before moving it to the alternate setting.
The system includes only two operational modes: ‘RUN’, which permits fuel flow to the engine, and ‘CUTOFF’, which stops fuel delivery immediately.
Aviation experts have stated that due to this design, a pilot cannot accidentally move the fuel control switches. However, if a switch is moved to ‘CUTOFF’, the impact is immediate, cutting off fuel supply and rapidly reducing engine power.
The integrity of the switch locking mechanism is therefore critical, as any unintended movement under certain conditions could lead to an engine shutdown at a time when recovery options are limited.
How fuel switches entered the spotlight during the Ahmedabad crash
The intense focus on fuel control switches stems from the June 12, 2025,
crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick.
Shortly after departing from Ahmedabad, the aircraft lost thrust and plunged into a medical college building, killing 260 people, including 241 passengers.
In July 2025, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) released a 15-page preliminary report outlining the sequence of events leading up to the crash.
According to flight data, seconds after take-off, the fuel control switch for one engine moved from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’. One second later, the switch controlling the second engine followed.
With both engines suddenly deprived of fuel, the aircraft experienced an almost immediate loss of power during the critical climb phase.
Cockpit voice recordings revealed confusion inside the flight deck. One pilot was heard asking the other why the fuel had been cut off.
“The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report said.
Moments later, the fuel control switches were returned to the ‘RUN’ position. Investigators later found both switches set to ‘RUN’ at the crash site.
The report explained that when fuel control switches are moved from ‘CUTOFF’ back to ‘RUN’ while an aircraft is airborne, the engine control system automatically initiates a relight and thrust recovery sequence, managing ignition and fuel reintroduction without pilot input.
Despite these automated processes, the engines did not recover sufficient thrust to prevent the crash.
What investigators ruled out
The AIB’s preliminary findings indicated that the flight crew attempted to relight the engines after fuel flow was restored. The report also stated that investigators found no evidence pointing to sabotage, bird strikes, or fuel contamination.
Air India later said the report
did not identify any mechanical or maintenance faults with the aircraft, its engines, or fuel quality. The airline also maintained that inspections conducted shortly after the crash cleared all Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet for continued operations.
Commenting on the fuel switch movements during the fatal flight, US aviation safety expert John Nance said, “No sane pilot would ever turn those switches off in flight,” particularly at a moment when the aircraft is just beginning its climb after take-off.
How DGCA responsed after the crash
In the aftermath of the Ahmedabad tragedy, India’s aviation regulator ordered inspections of fuel control switches across nearly all Boeing aircraft operating in the country. Air India said it carried out checks on its entire Boeing 787 fleet within days and found no issues.
In July 2025, the airline also announced that it had completed inspections of the locking mechanisms on fuel control switches across both its Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 fleets, again reporting no defects.
On July 14, 2025, the DGCA issued a formal advisory requiring fuel switch inspections on certain aircraft models by July 21. Both Air India and its low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express, complied with the directive.
According to a Reuters report, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing had earlier issued private notifications stating that fuel switch locking mechanisms on Boeing aircraft were safe.
Why fuel control switch concerns aren’t new
In 2018, the FAA issued an information bulletin highlighting the potential for disengagement of the locking mechanism on certain fuel control switches
installed on Boeing aircraft, including the 787.
The bulletin recommended inspections to verify switch integrity.
However, because the communication was advisory rather than mandatory, several airlines — including Air India — did not conduct the checks at that time.
Following the Ahmedabad crash, the DGCA ordered fuel control switch inspections on almost all Boeing aircraft operating in India, effectively making such checks compulsory within the country.
Where things stand now
Air India operates 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, according to data from Flightradar24.
The airline, jointly owned by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has reiterated that it remains in close contact with both Boeing and the DGCA as the latest aircraft undergoes further evaluation.
While no official link has been established between the recent pilot report and the Ahmedabad crash, the recurrence of fuel control switch-related concerns has ensured continued attention on switch design, inspection protocols, and regulatory oversight.
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With inputs from agencies
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