Boeing 787 Fuel Switch Lock Checks Begin: Foreign Airlines Lead, Indian Carriers Await DGCA Directive

Fuel switch lock checks on Boeing 787 aircraft are underway following the recent crash of an Air India plane on June 12, and a preliminary report on the investigation of the accident suggesting that the twin engine of the aircraft shut down after fuel control switches — responsible for regulating flow of fuel to engines — flipped almost simultaneously, causing the crash.

While a five-member panel of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau probing the crash has yet to assign blame and is examining whether a technical fault or human error or a combination of factors was responsible, the report raised fresh concerns over the position of the critical switches.

Major foreign airlines, including Etihad and Singapore Airlines, have started inspecting the fuel switch locks of Dreamliners, even as the domestic carriers await a directive from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

According to an engineering instruction order reviewed by NDTV Profit, Etihad has ordered a thorough review of the locking mechanism in the fuel switches of its Boeing 787 fleet. The UAE’s flagship carrier has also advised pilots to "exercise caution" when operating fuel control switches on these aircraft. Singapore Airlines, too, has begun its own inspections, sources say.

These efforts come despite the Federal Aviation Administration telling Boeing operators around the world that the fuel switch design, including locks, in Boeing 787-8s is safe. The US aviation safety regulator insists that no action is deemed necessary for Boeing operators at this time.

India's aviation safety regulator, however, is examining the situation.

While the DGCA ordered extensive checks of Air India's Boeing 787 fleet following the devastating crash last month, the regulator has yet to mandate specific inspections regarding the fuel control switches. Sources say it may soon order targeted inspection as the investigation proceeds.

In a note to employees on Monday, Air India MD & CEO Campbell Wilson confirmed that all mandatory maintenance tasks had been completed.

All Boeing 787 in their fleet were checked within days of the crash and deemed fit for service, Wilson said. "We continue to perform all necessary checks, as we will any new ones that authorities may suggest,” he added.