Debate With Arnab: Another Air India Pilot Reports Fuel Switch Defect | Are Dreamliners Safe?

In a startling development, Safety Measures Foundation Captain Amit Singh wrote to airline regulators mentioning that the Air India (AI132) London Heathrow to Bengaluru flight where the fuel engine itself got locked the same way it got to cut off in Air India Flight 171 from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad to London.

This letter has raised alarming questions on precautionary measures and inspections of Boeing 787 fleet.

However, Air India came out with a statement saying that the airline has grounded the aircraft and are involving the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to get the pilot’s concerns checked on a priority basis, after the AI132 incident.

"We are aware that one of our pilots has reported a possible defect on the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft. After receiving this initial information, we have grounded the said aircraft and are involving the OEM to get the pilot’s concerns checked on a priority basis. The matter has been communicated to the aviation regulator, DGCA. Air India had checked the fuel control switches on all Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet after a directive from the DGCA, and had found no issues. At Air India, the safety of our passengers and crew remains top priority,” the airline said in a statement.

Earlier, the Foundation of Aviation SafetY had mentioned latent defect” that triggers electrical malfunction leading to fuel switch cut off. The FAS had flagged this issue in the US Senate and put Boeing under scanner. Ed Pierson, a prominent whistleblower in the Boeing case, had mentioned in a hearing on April 17, 2024, that thousands of Boeing planes left facilities without inspection. However, Air India had claimed that there are no issues with their Boeing fleet.