What US FAA and Boeing’s ‘privately issued notifications’ say amid Air India AI 171 Boeing 787-8 crash probe
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing have reportedly issued private assurances that the fuel switch locks on Boeing aircraft, including the 787 model, are safe. According to a report by Reuters, the US Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing have privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe. The report quotes a document seen by Reuters and four sources said to have knowledge of the matter.The statements follow a preliminary investigation into the tragic crash of Air India Boeing 787-8 last month, which claimed 260 lives and raised concerns about the aircraft’s engine fuel cutoff switches. The FAA’s Continued Airworthiness Notification, issued on July 11 to civil aviation authorities, reportedly stated that the fuel control switch design, including its locking feature, does not present an unsafe condition requiring an Airworthiness Directive for any Boeing models, including the 787. The FAA declined to comment further when contacted by Reuters. Boeing echoed the FAA’s position in a recent Multi-Operator Message to airlines, with two sources confirming that the company is not recommending any immediate action. Boeing referred Reuters’ inquiries to the FAA. “We will defer to the AAIB to provide information about AI171, in adherence with the UN International Civil Aviation Organization protocol known as Annex 13,” the spokesperson said in the emailed statement.The preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) referenced a 2018 FAA advisory that recommended, but did not mandate, inspections of the fuel cutoff switch locking feature on several Boeing models, including the 787, to prevent accidental movement. The report noted that Air India had not conducted these inspections, as they were not mandatory. However, maintenance records showed the throttle control module, which includes the fuel switches, was replaced on the crashed aircraft in 2019 and 2023. The AAIB confirmed that all applicable airworthiness directives and service bulletins were followed and that Air India replaced the Throttle Control Module (TCM) of the crashed Boeing 787-8 plane twice in the last six years following a directive from Boeing in 2019. One of the sources told PTI on Sunday, July 13, a revised maintenance planning document (MPD) was issued by Boeing for all the operators of the Dreamliners in 2019.The report is said to have revealed a critical detail from the cockpit voice recorder: In the flight’s final moments, one pilot asked the other why the fuel was cut off, to which the co-pilot replied that he had not done so. The investigation noted that the fuel switches had flipped from “run” to “cutoff” almost simultaneously after takeoff, though the cause remains unclear.
Pilots’ association raise concern over ‘suggestions of pilot error’
ALPA India, representing Indian pilots, rejected suggestions of pilot error and called for a “fair, fact-based inquiry.” In a statement posted on Twitter, the group highlighted the 2018 FAA advisory, suggesting a potential equipment malfunction. ALPA India President Sam Thomas emphasized the need for pilot representatives to be included as observers in the ongoing investigation. Two U.S. safety experts, including John Cox, a pilot and former ALPA U.S. representative, supported ALPA India’s request to participate in the probe but noted that the AAIB’s report appeared objective and did not indicate a bias toward pilot error.
Air India: Working closely with all stakeholders
In a statement today, an Air India spokesperson said the airline is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. “We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses. “Given the active nature of the investigation, we are unable to comment on specific details and refer all such enquiries to the AAIB,” the spokesperson said.Air India’s Dreamliner VT-ANB was powered by GEnx-1B engines.
