India to monitor Boeing fuel switch examination in US linked to Air India

Months after an Air India Dreamliner crew reported unusual fuel switch behaviour mid-operation, Indian regulators are preparing to closely monitor sensitive Boeing tests in Seattle as questions around the aircraft systems refuse to fade.

In Short

• India’s aviation regulator to observe Boeing 787 fuel-control switch testing in Seattle
• Switch panel removed after pilots noticed irregular fuel switch behaviour
• Issue linked to last year's fatal Air India Dreamliner crash in Gujarat

India’s aviation regulator is preparing to send officials to Seattle to observe sensitive testing of a Boeing 787 fuel-control switch panel removed from an Air India aircraft after pilots reported unusual behaviour during a London-Bengaluru flight earlier this year.

The development has once again drawn attention to the Dreamliner’s fuel-control switches as Indian investigators work towards the final report into the fatal Air India Boeing 787 crash in Gujarat last June that killed 260 people.

Responding to queries from India Today, Boeing said, “We are in contact with our customer and will continue to support them.”

According to a Reuters report based on internal documents and emails, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directed Air India to ensure the testing at Boeing’s Seattle facility takes place in the presence of a DGCA officer because the matter was considered “sensitive in nature”.

WHAT TRIGGERED THE CONCERN

The switch module was removed from an Air India Dreamliner after pilots operating a London-Bengaluru flight in February noticed irregular behaviour during engine start procedures.

According to the DGCA’s earlier account, the fuel switches did not remain fixed in the “run” position during the first two attempts when light vertical pressure was applied. The switches reportedly stabilised during a third attempt before the aircraft departed.

The fuel-control switches regulate the flow of jet fuel into the aircraft’s engines and are designed to remain locked unless deliberately operated by pilots.

Although checks later found the switches to be functioning normally, the module was still sent to Boeing’s Seattle facility for deeper examination.

An internal communication reviewed by Reuters showed DGCA deputy director of airworthiness Manish Kumar directing Air India on March 9 to ensure the testing was conducted in the presence of a DGCA official.

FRESH SPOTLIGHT AFTER AIR INDIA CRASH

The issue has gained added significance because of the ongoing investigation into last year’s Air India Dreamliner crash in Gujarat, one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.

A preliminary report into the crash had found that the aircraft’s fuel switches were shut off almost simultaneously, cutting fuel supply to the engines.

The US Federal Aviation Administration has previously said the crash did not appear to involve a mechanical failure. Reuters had earlier reported that recorded cockpit conversations suggested the captain may have cut fuel flow to the engines while the first officer was flying the aircraft.

That assessment triggered strong objections from a pilots’ union in India as well as the captain’s family, both of whom demanded an independent and wider investigation into all possible causes.

Under international aviation rules, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is expected to release its final report next month or issue an interim update if more time is required.

INDIA WANTS ‘THOROUGH’ EXAMINATION

According to Reuters, the upcoming tests in Seattle are expected to focus on the switch locking mechanism and whether external pressure applied from a certain angle could move the switches while they remain locked.

An Indian government official quoted in the report said the government “wants to be thorough”.

Air India, owned by the Tata Group along with Singapore Airlines, said the switch module had already been declared “fully functional” by both Boeing and the DGCA, but added that the additional testing was being carried out “as a measure of abundant caution”.

“The additional testing involves examination in a controlled laboratory environment to definitively confirm its performance and integrity,” the airline said.

Reuters also reported that Air India would bear the travel expenses for two DGCA officials visiting Boeing’s facility during the June examination.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority is separately reviewing the February incident and is examining whether Air India followed proper reporting procedures after the pilots proceeded with the flight before reporting the issue upon landing.

- Ends