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Despite renewed scrutiny following last month’s fatal Air India Boeing 787-8 crash in Ahmedabad, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing have privately stated that fuel switch locking systems on Boeing aircraft are safe and do not require regulatory action, according to a document seen by Reuters and multiple sources familiar with the matter.
FAA sees no ‘unsafe condition’
The FAA issued a Continued Airworthiness Notification to civil aviation authorities globally on July 11, just days after India’s preliminary investigation into the crash raised questions about the reliability of fuel cutoff switches on the aircraft.
“Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787,” the FAA said in the notification, as reported by Reuters.
Asked to comment, the FAA told Reuters it had nothing further to add beyond the notification.
Boeing also reassures airlines
In parallel, Boeing referenced the FAA’s position in a Multi-Operator Message sent to airlines in recent days, two sources with direct knowledge told the news outlet. Boeing is not recommending any action be taken at this time.
When the news publication sought a response from Boeing, the company deferred to the FAA’s notification.
Crash report points to earlier FAA advisory
The FAA and Boeing clarifications follow a preliminary crash report by Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which noted that a 2018 FAA advisory had recommended—but not required—airlines operating several Boeing aircraft models to inspect fuel cutoff switch locks.
The report said the advisory was not acted upon by Air India, the operator of the ill-fated flight, because it was not a mandatory directive.
According to the AAIB report, “all applicable airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins were complied [with] on the aircraft as well as engines.”
Pilots’ union demands role in probe
Meanwhile, ALPA India—the local affiliate of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations—issued a strong statement rejecting any implication of pilot error in the crash and demanded observer status in the ongoing investigation.
In a letter posted on X (formerly Twitter), the group pointed to the same 2018 FAA advisory referenced in the AAIB report, calling it “an indication of potential equipment malfunction.”
Cockpit exchange raises questions
A chilling detail in the AAIB report adds to the uncertainty: the cockpit voice recorder reportedly captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel had been cut off during the flight.
“The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report said, adding that both engine fuel switches flipped from ‘run’ to ‘cutoff’ almost simultaneously just after takeoff. The report does not explain how the switches could have moved mid-flight.
US expert backs pilot union’s involvement
Two US aviation safety experts told Reuters they support ALPA India’s request to be observers in the investigation but said the preliminary report appears balanced.
John Cox, a former ALPA representative and current aviation safety analyst, said the AAIB’s findings “seemed objective and fair,” according to Reuters.
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