Boeing examination finds no abnormality with Dreamliner’s fuel control switch: Government

The government said its detailed inspection of the fuel control switch locking mechanism of Boeing’s Dreamliner plane did not find any anomalies after an Air India pilot flagged possible problems with the system after operating the London Heathrow-Bengaluru flight in February this year.

On February 2, an Air India pilot reported a malfunction in the fuel control switch of his Boeing 787-8 aircraft after operating flight AI132.

The airline had grounded the plane for checks after landing in Bengaluru from London.

Following the incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) instructed Boeing to test the fuel control switch locking mechanism within the scope of continued airworthiness.

The DGCA has directed Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) level testing of the fuel control switch interlock mechanism in Seattle as part of continued airworthiness, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Monday, July 27, 2026.

“A detailed examination of the Fuel Control Switch, including the structural integrity of the Fuel Control Switch tabs, was carried out and no abnormalities were observed. However, further examination of the entire ‘Thrust Control Module’ is ongoing at the OEM facility,” the Minister said in his written response. he said.

The minister was responding to a question on the outcome of DGCA’s OEM-level testing of the fuel control switch locking mechanism in Seattle, which was ordered after the grounding in February 2026.

After one of the pilots noted a possible problem with the Dreamliner’s fuel control switch, an Air India spokesperson said on February 4 that the airline had completed precautionary re-inspections of the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) on all operational Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet and no issues were detected during these checks.

Meanwhile, the functioning of the fuel control switch on Dreamliners has come into focus following the fatal crash of Air India’s Boeing 787-8 aircraft, which occurred just after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12 last year. A total of 260 people died as a result of the crash of the plane heading to London Gatwick.

In its preliminary report on the accident published on July 12 last year, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) stated that the fuel supply to both engines of the aircraft was cut off within a second, and this caused confusion in the cockpit immediately after takeoff.

“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots can be heard asking the other why he interrupted. The other pilot replied that he did not.”

In his written response on Monday, July 27, Mr Mohol said there was no delay in the investigation.

“The timeline for a major accident investigation is unpredictable as it is dependent on many factors and is an evolving process involving multiple variables. The investigation is progressing. All possible causes and contributing factors leading to the accident are being investigated.”

The minister was responding to a question by Rajya Sabha member Jebi Mather Hisham on the reasons for the delay in the publication of the AAIB final report.

In an interim statement on 12 June regarding the AI171 plane crash investigation, the AAIB said significant progress had been made and the final report would be published following the completion of all investigative activities and the necessary international review and consultation processes.