Air India said on Thursday it is investigating whether its crew followed all required compliance procedures after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner departed London despite a suspected defect involving a fuel control switch and was later grounded in India for checks, according to Reuters.
The incident relates to a flight that took off from London and was subsequently taken out of service in India after the pilot reported a possible defect on landing.
Air India fuel switch inquiry focuses on crew actions
Air India said it would follow its safety investigation protocol and take appropriate action. The airline statement came in response to questions about whether the crew flagged concerns to British authorities before departure.
A source with direct knowledge of the matter said the airline’s internal review would examine why the issue was not reported in London and, if the crew believed the aircraft was safe to fly, why a possible defect was then reported after arrival in India.
What authorities say happened in London
Aviation authorities have said the flight crew in London observed that a fuel control switch did not remain latched in the “run” position on two attempts, but appeared stable on a third attempt.
The crew then decided to operate the flight to India. After landing, the pilot reported a possible defect, prompting the aircraft to be grounded for technical checks.
UK regulator deadline and potential action on Boeing 787 fleet
Britain’s aviation regulator has asked Air India to provide a detailed account of maintenance actions taken before the decision to depart and has set a one-week deadline for a complete response. British authorities have indicated regulatory action could follow if the response is not satisfactory, including measures affecting the airline and its fleet of 33 Boeing 787 aircraft.
The UK watchdog has also sought a comprehensive root-cause analysis and a preventive action plan aimed at avoiding any recurrence across Air India’s Boeing 787 operations.
Wider scrutiny after earlier fuel-switch concerns
Fuel control switches, which regulate the flow of fuel to an aircraft’s engines, have drawn increased attention in recent months following heightened scrutiny of Air India’s Dreamliner operations. Air India and Indian authorities have said they have not identified broader fuel control switch issues across the carrier’s Dreamliner fleet following checks initiated after the latest incident.
India’s civil aviation authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.