Air India Dreamliner Fuel Switch Malfunction in London Raises Critical Questions About Ahmedabad Crash
In a development with significant implications for the ongoing investigation into the fatal Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, another incident involving an Air India Dreamliner has surfaced. This new event directly challenges the controversial narrative that the Ahmedabad tragedy resulted from deliberate pilot action, instead pointing toward a possible and critical technical flaw in the aircraft's fuel switch design.
London Heathrow Incident Details
The incident occurred on February 1 at London Heathrow Airport during engine start procedures for a Boeing 787 aircraft, registered as VT-ANX. This aircraft was operating the 9:05 PM Air India flight AI-132 bound for Bengaluru. According to sources familiar with the matter, a crew member pressed the fuel control switch to check whether it was properly locked.
Surprisingly, the switch moved from the "run" position to "cut-off" without the required lifting action that is designed as a safety feature. This safeguard is specifically intended to prevent inadvertent fuel supply cutoff and accidental engine shutdown by requiring a two-step process: the switch must be lifted before it can be moved between positions.
Testing Reveals Inconsistent Locking Behavior
The source explained the sequence of events in detail: "The pilot lightly pushed the left fuel control switch to check if its lock feature was working and found it was not because the switch moved though it was not lifted first." This failure occurred not just once but twice during testing. Remarkably, the switch failed to lock properly on the first two attempts, moving without the necessary lift. However, on the third attempt, the switch functioned as designed and remained locked until properly lifted.
Despite this concerning discovery, the aircraft departed London Heathrow at 9:40 PM for Bengaluru, where it has since been grounded for further inspection and investigation.
Direct Implications for Ahmedabad Crash Investigation
This London incident brings unresolved questions about the Boeing 787's fuel switch design back to the forefront of aviation safety discussions. The integrity of the locking mechanism and the possibility of inadvertent activation are now under renewed scrutiny.
A senior commander familiar with both incidents provided crucial insight: "The London incident directly challenges the assumption that fuel switch movement in the Air India crash was manual. Until now, the cut-off transition was treated as near-conclusive evidence of pilot action. The London event shows that uncommanded switch behavior, through mechanical detent failure, signal corruption or other causes, is a credible failure mode."
Regulatory Scrutiny and Investigation Implications
The commander further elaborated on the regulatory implications: "That places the DGCA's earlier claim of fleet clearance under scrutiny, as a defect appearing months later suggests inspections may have been visual, non-diagnostic, or incomplete. For AAIB, the implication is clear: fuel cutoff can no longer be equated with intent, the probe must widen to fleet-level and component analysis."
This development suggests that investigators may need to expand their examination beyond individual pilot actions to include comprehensive technical evaluations of the entire Dreamliner fleet's fuel control systems. The inconsistent behavior observed in London—where the switch failed twice before working correctly on the third attempt—indicates a potentially intermittent fault that might not be detected through routine visual inspections.
The aircraft involved in the London incident had previously operated flights between London and Bengaluru, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing safety assessment of Air India's Dreamliner operations.
