Fuel Switch Issue Forces Air India Dreamliner to Be Grounded

New Delhi:
Air India has grounded a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner after a pilot reported a possible defect in the aircraft’s fuel control system, in which the left fuel control switch failed twice to stay in the ‘run’ position and shifted to ‘cutoff’ during engine startup, the airline said.

Air India reported the issue after flight AI-132 arrived in Bengaluru from London Heathrow on Monday. Following the pilot’s report, the airline took the aircraft out of service as a precautionary measure.

Aircraft grounded, Boeing and DGCA informed:
An Air India spokesperson said the airline immediately grounded the aircraft after receiving the initial information and involved Boeing, the original equipment manufacturer, to examine the matter on a priority basis. Boeing later confirmed that it is in contact with Air India and is supporting the airline’s review of the reported issue.

Air India also informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) about the incident and said that the safety of passengers and crew remains its top priority.

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Air India Grounds Boeing 787 Dreamliner After Fuel Control Switch Moves to ‘Cutoff’

The development comes against the backdrop of the June 2025 Ahmedabad Dreamliner crash, in which 260 people lost their lives. After that accident, Air India had conducted checks on fuel control switches across its Boeing 787 fleet and said it found no abnormalities. However, a preliminary investigation report released in July 2025 revealed that seconds after takeoff, the fuel control switches on the crashed aircraft briefly transitioned from ‘run’ to ‘cutoff’, cutting fuel supply to the engines and causing a loss of power.

Fuel control switches regulate the flow of fuel into aircraft engines and allow pilots to start or shut down engines on the ground or manually stop and restart engines during flight in the event of an emergency. Aviation experts say the switches prevent accidental movement, and any shift from ‘run’ to ‘cutoff’ immediately cuts engine power.

On the Boeing 787, the two fuel control switches are located below the thrust levers and are spring-loaded to remain in position. To move a switch between ‘run’ and ‘cutoff’, a pilot must first pull it upward and then shift it deliberately.

According to the Ahmedabad crash investigation, the cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other why he had cut the fuel, and the other pilot replying that he had not done so. The report did not specify whether the captain or the first officer made these remarks. Seconds later, flight data showed the switches returning to the ‘run’ position, and investigators later found both switches in that position at the crash site.

Investigators noted that when pilots move the fuel control switches from ‘cutoff’ to ‘run’ during flight, the aircraft’s systems automatically initiate engine relight and thrust recovery procedures.

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