&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Air India grounds Boeing 787 after fuel switch issue on London–Bengaluru flight")
On Monday, (February 2), Air India admitted a potential technical issue involving the fuel control switch on one of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft operating the London–Bengaluru route. The airline confirmed that the aircraft has been grounded as a precautionary measure while the issue is examined in coordination with the aircraft manufacturer. The disclosure has revived concerns linked to the tragic June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171 from Ahmedabad to London, which claimed 260 lives. Investigators probing that accident had highlighted a malfunction involving fuel control switches as a critical factor.
In a statement, Air India said a pilot had flagged irregular behaviour in the fuel control switch. “Following the report, the aircraft was immediately withdrawn from service, and the OEM has been engaged to investigate the matter on priority,” the airline said. The carrier added that India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has been informed. Emphasising safety, Air India stated that passenger and crew welfare remains its foremost concern. According to the airline, inspections of fuel control switches across its entire Boeing 787 fleet had earlier been completed as per DGCA instructions, with no anomalies detected at the time. Similar checks had also been conducted on its Boeing 737 aircraft.
What happened on the London–Bengaluru flight?
The incident involved Air India flight AI132 from London Heathrow to Bengaluru. A press release issued by the Safety Matters Foundation, now circulating online, said the flight crew observed unusual behaviour in the left engine fuel control switch of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft registered as VT-ANX. During engine start-up, the switch reportedly failed twice to stay secured in the RUN position and instead drifted towards CUTOFF. Under certain circumstances, such a fault could potentially result in an unintended engine shutdown while airborne.
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Link to the Ahmedabad crash investigation
The preliminary investigation report into the July 12 Ahmedabad crash revealed that both engine fuel control switches shifted from RUN to CUTOFF shortly after takeoff, cutting engine thrust. Audio from the cockpit captured one pilot questioning why the fuel had been cut, while the other denied initiating the action. Following the loss of power, the aircraft’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed automatically to provide emergency power. Although one engine showed signs of recovery after the switches were reset, the aircraft failed to climb. A distress call was transmitted moments before the crash.
