Families Sue Boeing and Honeywell Over Air India Crash
Families of four passengers killed in the June 12 Air India Flight 171 crash have filed a lawsuit against Boeing and Honeywell in Delaware Superior Court, alleging defective fuel switches contributed to the disaster. The Boeing 787 crashed seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad for London, killing 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew, and 19 on the ground. One passenger survived.
The plaintiffs claim that the aircraft’s fuel cutoff switches, designed and supplied by Honeywell, were placed in a location where they could be inadvertently activated during normal cockpit operations. They cite a 2018 Federal Aviation Administration advisory urging—but not mandating—inspections of the switches’ locking mechanisms on several Boeing models, including the 787. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has reported that Air India did not carry out the recommended checks, though maintenance records show the throttle control module containing the switches was replaced in 2019 and 2023.
A cockpit recording reportedly captured the captain shutting off fuel flow to the engines before the crash. Aviation experts, however, told Reuters the switches could not easily be flipped by accident because of their design and placement. Boeing declined to comment and Honeywell did not immediately respond.
This appears to be the first U.S. lawsuit over the crash. Legal specialists note families often sue manufacturers in U.S. courts because they are not shielded by the liability limits that apply to airlines and because American courts typically award larger settlements than foreign jurisdictions.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, reuters.com, yahoo.com