Air India 787 Dreamliner Switches Moved To ‘Cutoff’ After Takeoff

In the wake of the preliminary report released by the India Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) indicating that the fuel switches for both engines of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner involved in the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in June had been moved from ‘Run’ to ‘Cutoff,’ both Boeing and the FAA have said the fuel switches in Boeing commercial aircraft are safe.

The FAA had issued an Advisory that urged, but did not mandate, that operators of Boeing aircraft inspect the fuel cutoff switches to ensure they could not be moved accidentally. Many operators subsequently performed those inspections, however, Air India did not, according to the AAIB.

The FAA noted that the 2018 Advisory "was based on reports that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged" but said it does not believe it makes the planes unsafe.

The FAA added, "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 AAIB reported that the CVR (cockpit voice recorder) indicated that one pilot asked the other why he cut off the fuel, and the other pilot responded he did not do so.

The flight data recorder showed that the fuel switches were flipped from Run to Cutoff in sequence just one second apart shortly after the aircraft took off.

The AAIB’s report said it found that no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or the engines.

FMI:  aaib.gov.in/