The preliminary investigation into the recent Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has confirmed that the aircraft’s fuel control switch had no defects.
According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), a detailed review of maintenance records and past advisories showed that the fuel switch was working properly at the time of the crash.
The report did mention that in 2018, the US aviation authority, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), had warned about a possible issue with the locking mechanism of the fuel control switch. This advisory was issued through a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB No. NM-18-33).
The crashed aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 (registration VT-ANB), had the same type of switch mentioned in the advisory. However, Air India did not inspect the component because the FAA’s advisory was not mandatory.
Maintenance records show the throttle control module was replaced in 2019 and 2023, but those changes were unrelated to the fuel control switch. Since 2023, no problems with the switch have been reported.
Investigators are now looking into other possible causes of the June 12 crash, which killed 260 people. The fuel switch, however, has been officially cleared as a cause.
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