India’s aviation regulator has ordered a fresh inspection of the fuel control switches of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner at the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) facility, months after the aircraft was grounded following a reported cockpit defect involving the left engine fuel control switch.
The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) says Air India aircraft VT-ANX was grounded on 2 February 2026 after operating flight AI132 from London Heathrow to Bengaluru. The move followed an entry in the pilot defect report stating that the left fuel control switch slipped from 'run' to 'cutoff' when pushed slightly and failed to lock positively in the selected position.
In a statement issued late Monday, the ministry of civil aviation says Air India subsequently carried out inspection and functional testing of the fuel control switches in accordance with procedures prescribed by the OEM and in the presence of DGCA officers.
“Upon review of the inspection results and evidence provided, OEM concluded that the fuel control switch was mechanically functioning as designed and considered the unit serviceable,” the ministry says.
However, DGCA has now directed that the switches undergo further inspection at the OEM facility under the supervision of its officers as part of continued airworthiness monitoring.
The latest directive comes amid heightened scrutiny of fuel control switches on Boeing 787 aircraft following the fatal crash of Air India flight AI171 near Ahmedabad in June 2025 which killed 260 people. A preliminary investigation into that crash found that fuel supply to the aircraft’s engines had been cut off seconds after take-off. Cockpit voice recordings reportedly captured one pilot questioning why the fuel control switch had been moved to 'cutoff', while the other pilot denied doing so.
The VT-ANX incident first surfaced after the London-Bengaluru flight landed in Bengaluru on 2nd February. According to the DGCA’s earlier statement issued on 4 February 2026, the issue had initially been observed during engine start at Heathrow Airport.
The regulator had then said the left engine fuel control switch failed to remain positively latched in the 'run' position on two occasions when light vertical pressure was applied. On the third attempt, the switch latched correctly and remained stable throughout the flight.
“Before continuing with the rest of procedure, a physical verification was performed by the crew to confirm that the switch was fully and positively latched in the ‘run’ position,” DGCA had stated.
The regulator added that no abnormal engine parameters, warnings, cautions, or related system messages were observed either during engine start or during the flight. The aircraft completed the journey without incident.
20/05/2026 Moneylife
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