Air India has grounded a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner after a pilot reported a potential defect in the aircraft’s fuel control switch, an issue linked to a deadly crash last year. The incident has prompted safety reviews and regulatory scrutiny, highlighting ongoing concerns in aviation safety.
On Monday, during a flight from London to Bengaluru, the pilot of the Air India Boeing 787-8 noticed abnormal behavior in the left engine’s fuel control switch. Specifically, during engine startup, the switch failed to remain locked in the ‘RUN’ position and slipped towards ‘CUTOFF’ on two attempts. This malfunction could potentially lead to inadvertent engine shutdown under certain conditions, raising immediate safety concerns for the aircraft and its passengers.
In response, Air India promptly grounded the affected aircraft, registration VT-ANX, and communicated the matter to India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The airline has involved Boeing, the original equipment manufacturer, to conduct a priority inspection of the pilot’s concerns. An Air India spokesperson stated that safety is the top priority and confirmed that previous checks on all Boeing 787 fuel control switches in their fleet had found no issues following a DGCA directive after last year’s crash.
This incident gains significance due to its connection to the tragic crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad in June 2025. Preliminary investigations into that accident indicated that both fuel control switches transitioned from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ moments after takeoff, starving the engines and leading to the crash that claimed 260 lives. Cockpit voice recordings revealed confusion, with one pilot denying having moved the switches, suggesting possible technical or mechanical issues rather than human error.
Regulatory history adds context to the current situation. In 2018, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an information bulletin about potential disengagement of the switch locking mechanism on certain Boeing aircraft, including the 787. However, as it was advisory and not mandatory, inspections were not uniformly conducted across airlines. After the 2025 crash, DGCA ordered comprehensive inspections of fuel control switches on Boeing aircraft in India, which Air India had complied with without finding defects at the time.
Safety advocacy groups, such as the Safety Matters Foundation, have called for immediate and transparent disclosure of inspection findings from this latest incident. They urge re-evaluation of precautionary checks, an urgent regulatory review by DGCA, and better communication to pilots about such issues to enhance awareness and prevention. The foundation emphasized that while no direct link is implied, repeated problems with a critical system on the same aircraft type demand the highest level of scrutiny from authorities and manufacturers.
Boeing has acknowledged the issue, stating that they are in contact with Air India and supporting the review of the matter. The ongoing investigation into the 2025 crash is expected to conclude with a final report in the coming months, which may provide more insights into the root causes of the switch malfunctions and inform future safety protocols. Meanwhile, Air India continues to emphasize its commitment to safety, and further developments will depend on the outcomes of the current inspections and regulatory assessments.
This event underscores the persistent safety challenges in aviation, particularly with complex aircraft systems, and highlights the importance of proactive maintenance, rigorous regulatory oversight, and transparent communication to prevent future incidents. As the aviation industry evolves, such incidents serve as critical reminders for continuous improvement in safety standards and collaboration between airlines, manufacturers, and regulators.
