Air India Crash Focuses on Cockpit Engine Fuel Control Switches

Nearly a month has passed since Air India Flight 171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport, killing 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner plunged into a nearby medical college, leaving only one survivor. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is expected to release its preliminary report this Friday July 11. However, early indications point to pilot error, with investigators focusing on the aircraft’s engine fuel control switches as a possible cause.

While Boeing has faced intense scrutiny over quality control failures—most notably the 737 Max door plug incident over Portland—the manufacturer is not expected to be at fault in this case. According to sources familiar with the investigation, data from the recovered black boxes revealed no design flaws or mechanical issues with the 787 aircraft or its GE Aerospace GEnx-1B engines.

Investigators have also ruled out fuel contamination and improper flap retraction by the flight crew. Instead, the inquiry is centering on whether the cockpit’s fuel control switches were inadvertently moved from the “run” to “cutoff” position. These switches are protected by metal stop-lock mechanisms and bracketed panels, designed to prevent accidental activation. If either switch had been clipped during takeoff, the resulting loss of thrust would have occurred almost instantly.

Meanwhile, the crash has prompted deeper scrutiny of Air India’s operations. Its low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express, has been accused of submitting falsified engine maintenance records for its Airbus A320neo fleet. India’s civil aviation authority is also investigating claims that the airline falsified medical records after a pilot—who allegedly had an undiagnosed heart condition—died of a heart attack shortly after landing a flight in April.

While the exact cause of the crash will take months to confirm, early signs suggest a deadly combination of cockpit error and regulatory failure may have contributed to one of India’s worst aviation disasters in recent years.


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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, jalopnik.com