NEW DELHI: India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has directed all domestic airlines to conduct urgent inspections of fuel control switches on Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft, following concerns over potential issues with the locking mechanisms.
The order was issued after several global carriers – including Air India, Etihad Airways, and Singapore Airlines – independently initiated checks on their Boeing fleets. According to reports, the Air India Group began examining its 737 and 787 aircraft over the weekend. So far, no malfunctions have been reported.
The safety alert comes in the wake of a preliminary crash reportlinked to Air India flight AI 171, which went down near Ahmedabad last month, killing 260 people – one of the deadliest aviation accidents in recent Indian history.
Crash tied to fuel switch position
A report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau revealed that the aircraft’s fuel control switches had been unintentionally moved from the “run” position to “cutoff,” effectively halting fuel supply to both engines.
This caused a sudden and total loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. Investigators also noted that the cockpit crew appeared confused by the switch settings at a critical moment.
Fuel control switches are located just below the thrust levers in Boeing 787s and are typically fitted with protective metal guards and locks to prevent accidental activation – a safety feature introduced after previous incidents involving unintended fuel cutoff.
FAA Standards
While Boeing jets like the 787 are manufactured in the United States and subject to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines, international regulators — including the DGCA – are free to impose additional safety checks.
Officials said the current order is a proactive measure to ensure that locking mechanisms are functioning as intended across all Indian-operated Boeing aircraft.
Etihad and Singapore Airlines have reportedly launched similar inspections of their 787s, focusing on the fuel switch assemblies and safety locks.
Industry-wide caution
A senior DGCA official stated, “This is a preventive step. While no faults have been found so far, the circumstances of the Ahmedabad crash underline the need to re-verify these critical components across all fleets.”
The aviation industry is now watching closely to see whether the US FAA or other global regulators will issue a broader directive on the matter.
