NEW DELHI (AP) — On Monday, India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), mandated airlines operating specific Boeing aircraft to conduct inspections of fuel control switches. This directive follows an investigation into last month's tragic crash of an Air India flight that resulted in 260 fatalities in Ahmedabad. The preliminary investigation revealed that the fuel control switches were inadvertently switched off, cutting off fuel supply to both engines.
The DGCA stated that the inspection requirement applies to Boeing 787 Dreamliners and certain variations of the Boeing 737. Airlines are required to complete their inspections and report their findings to the regulator by July 21. The urgency of this directive underscores the seriousness of the findings from the crash investigation.
According to the preliminary report into the Air India crash, which occurred on June 12 shortly after takeoff, the investigation noted that the fuel control switches were flipped off within seconds of each other, resulting in both engines being starved of fuel. The circumstance surrounding how the switches moved to the cutoff position during the flight remains unclear, as the report did not draw conclusions regarding the cause of the crash.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed was en route to London and carried 242 individuals; only one among them survived. In addition, 19 people on the ground lost their lives due to the incident. The report highlighted an advisory issued by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in 2018, recommending that airlines performing maintenance on Boeing models check the locking features on fuel cutoff switches.
Cockpit voice recordings during the flight captured a moment of confusion between the two pilots, with one questioning why the fuel had been cut off. The other pilot adamantly denied taking such an action, indicating a potential breakdown in communication and situational awareness. As conjectures regarding the cause of the crash circulated, some aviation experts in India suggested that human error might have played a role based on the preliminary findings. However, at least two commercial pilots' associations have publicly rejected these theories.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association expressed deep concern over speculative narratives emerging from the investigation, particularly those insinuating pilot suicide. Air India’s CEO, Campbell Wilson, addressed the preliminary report, emphasizing that there were no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or its engines at the time of the crash. In an internal memo directed at airline staff, Wilson confirmed that all necessary maintenance tasks had been fulfilled prior to the flight. He reaffirmed that there were no issues with the fuel quality, the takeoff roll was normal, and both pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyzer tests without any reported medical concerns.
Following the crash, Indian authorities initiated a comprehensive review of Air India’s entire fleet of 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliners to mitigate the risk of similar incidents in the future. This thorough examination is aimed at ensuring safety within the aviation sector and restoring public confidence in air travel following this tragic event.
As investigations continue, the aviation community remains focused on understanding the sequence of events that led to the Air India crash, prioritizing improvements in safety protocols, and minimizing potential human errors in the cockpit.
