London to Bengaluru Air India flight grounded over fuel switch issue

Nearly seven months after the deadly Air India crash in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft flying from London to Bengaluru was grounded after the fuel tank reportedly cut off, reviving memories of the tragedy.

The incident occurred on Monday, February 2, after Air India Flight AI132 flying from London Heathrow Airport reported a fuel defect, which was later grounded.

According to a press release from Safety Matters Foundation, “The crew reported that the fuel switch failed to remain locked in the RUN position on two attempts, moving towards CUTOFF, a malfunction that could, under specific conditions, lead to an inadvertent engine shutdown in flight.”

Meanwhile, Air India released a statement acknowledging the 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 statement read.

Adding that the safety of the passengers and crew “remains top priority,” Air India said the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been informed about the matter.

“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,” the statement read.

After the deadly Ahmedabad plane crash, Air India, in July last year, stated it had completed inspections of fuel control switches on all its Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft in compliance with DGCA directives.