The FAA has issued a statement affirming that the fuel control switches integrated into Boeing aircraft are safe, despite concerns following a tragic crash involving Air India in June, where 260 lives were lost – 240 on board and 20 on the ground. This statement comes in the wake of a preliminary report released by investigators, which pointed to the accidental cutoff of fuel to the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner’s engines immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.
The horrific incident, known as Flight 171, was one of the gravest air disasters in recent history. The preliminary findings indicated that fuel switches intended to maintain propulsion were inadvertently moved from the "run" to the "cut-off" position, significantly undermining the plane's thrust. The report highlighted that a prior advisory from the FAA had recommended inspections of the fuel switch locking feature to prevent unintentional movement, though this measure had not been implemented by Air India.
In a communicated response to civil aviation authorities, the FAA acknowledged the report's findings while maintaining that it does not consider the operating condition of these switches a safety risk necessitating an Airworthiness Directive for any Boeing models, including the problematic Model 787.
Furthermore, cockpit recordings reviewed by investigators revealed a concerning exchange between the pilots just prior to the crash, where one pilot questioned the other about the fuel cutoff that he claimed not to have executed. The switches reportedly flipped their positions just after the aircraft took to the skies, leaving investigators puzzled about the cause of the malfunction.
This tragic flight was en route to Gatwick airport in London, but crashed into a medical college near Ahmedabad just minutes after departure, marking a significant loss of life. As the investigation continues, a more comprehensive report is anticipated within the next year.
