The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of India has issued an urgent order requiring airlines to conduct inspections of fuel control switches in Boeing airplanes. This directive follows a fatal Air India incident in June, which claimed the lives of 260 individuals. Already, Indian and international airlines are responding to earlier recommendations involving the checks, as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) asserted the safety of these switches.
The investigation's preliminary report revealed that the fuel supply to the engines of Air India Flight 171 was interrupted shortly after takeoff. The crash of this Boeing 787 Dreamliner was one of the worst aviation tragedies in recent memory. In light of the findings published in the report, various stakeholders have started taking precautionary actions.
The DGCA has mandated that inspections be completed by July 21, emphasizing the need for compliance to maintain air safety and operational integrity. This inspection aligns with a 2018 FAA advisory, which recommended operators of Boeing aircraft verify the locking mechanism of fuel cut-off switches to prevent accidental movement. As it stands, Air India had not carried out these inspections due to their non-mandatory status, a detail highlighted by the AAIB's preliminary investigation.
Meanwhile, the FAA has confirmed that while the 2018 advisory stemmed from reports concerning the locking feature disengagement, they do not consider the aircraft to be unsafe. In a related statement, the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association defended the actions of the flight crew, insisting that they fulfilled their responsibilities under exceedingly difficult conditions.
The preliminary investigation indicated that the switches controlling fuel to the engines were inadvertently moved to the "cut-off" position, which severely restricted the plane's thrust. Cockpit audio recordings suggest a conversation where one pilot questioned the reason for the fuel cut-off, with the other pilot asserting they did not initiate the action. It is important to note that the preliminary report's purpose is not to assign blame but to gather facts.
Additionally, South Korea is reportedly poised to mandate similar inspections of fuel switches in Boeing jets operated by airlines in the country, highlighting the widespread concern around this issue in the aviation community.
The investigation's preliminary report revealed that the fuel supply to the engines of Air India Flight 171 was interrupted shortly after takeoff. The crash of this Boeing 787 Dreamliner was one of the worst aviation tragedies in recent memory. In light of the findings published in the report, various stakeholders have started taking precautionary actions.
The DGCA has mandated that inspections be completed by July 21, emphasizing the need for compliance to maintain air safety and operational integrity. This inspection aligns with a 2018 FAA advisory, which recommended operators of Boeing aircraft verify the locking mechanism of fuel cut-off switches to prevent accidental movement. As it stands, Air India had not carried out these inspections due to their non-mandatory status, a detail highlighted by the AAIB's preliminary investigation.
Meanwhile, the FAA has confirmed that while the 2018 advisory stemmed from reports concerning the locking feature disengagement, they do not consider the aircraft to be unsafe. In a related statement, the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association defended the actions of the flight crew, insisting that they fulfilled their responsibilities under exceedingly difficult conditions.
The preliminary investigation indicated that the switches controlling fuel to the engines were inadvertently moved to the "cut-off" position, which severely restricted the plane's thrust. Cockpit audio recordings suggest a conversation where one pilot questioned the reason for the fuel cut-off, with the other pilot asserting they did not initiate the action. It is important to note that the preliminary report's purpose is not to assign blame but to gather facts.
Additionally, South Korea is reportedly poised to mandate similar inspections of fuel switches in Boeing jets operated by airlines in the country, highlighting the widespread concern around this issue in the aviation community.
