The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) report noted that there is currently no “recommended action” for Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, or General Electric (GE), which produced the engines
The wreckage of the doomed plane. File Pic/AFP
Following the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report into the recent fatal Air India plane crash, airlines have begun inspecting the locking mechanism of fuel switches on Boeing 787 aircraft, reported the IANS.
According to the news agency, the initial findings, based on the crash of an Air India Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, indicate that fuel supply to both engines was abruptly cut off shortly after take-off, resulting in the tragic accident. Experts have raised concerns that a malfunction in the locking feature of the fuel control switches may have been a contributing factor.
The AAIB report noted that there is currently no “recommended action” for Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, or General Electric (GE), which produced the engines.
In response, Etihad Airways has instructed its engineering teams to examine the locking mechanism of fuel control switches in its B-787 fleet. In a safety advisory, or “standard work package”, engineers were asked to verify proper engagement of the switch locks and exercise caution during their operation, as per the IANS.
The advisory states, “Attempt to gently move (without applying excessive force) the Left (L) fuel control switch on the P10 Control Stand from ‘CUT-OFF’ to ‘RUN’ without lifting the switch. If the switch cannot be moved without lifting, the locking feature is functional. No further action is required,” according to the IANS.
According to the AAIB, both engines’ fuel switches on the ill-fated Air India aircraft moved from RUN to CUT-OFF positions within a one-second interval. Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel had been cut off -- to which the latter replied, “I did not do so,” reported the IANS.
Meanwhile, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reassured international civil aviation regulators that the fuel switch design, including the locking feature on Boeing Dreamliners, is considered safe, the IANS reported on Monday.
The AAIB also referenced a 2018 FAA bulletin that highlighted potential issues with Honeywell-manufactured fuel control switches in certain Boeing aircraft, including the 737 and 787 models. That bulletin advised airlines to inspect the locking mechanism, warning that some switches had been found with their locking features disengaged.
According to the AAIB, Air India did not act on these recommendations, claiming the FAA bulletin was “advisory” and not “mandatory”, according to the IANS.
In a notice, the FAA reiterated that the 2018 advisory stemmed from reports of switches installed with the locking feature disengaged. When contacted for comment, the FAA stated it had no further information beyond the published notice.
(with IANS inputs)
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