Indian aviation investigators are narrowing their focus on the movement of fuel control switches in the fatal crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with a preliminary report expected by Friday, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
The London-bound jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and several on the ground. The aircraft began losing altitude rapidly after reaching just 650 feet.
According to investigators, analysis of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, alongside a Boeing simulation of the aircraft’s final moments, has prompted close scrutiny of the engine fuel control switches, mechanisms critical to maintaining engine thrust. However, it remains unclear whether the switches were inadvertently or deliberately manipulated, or if they malfunctioned.
“There’s no immediate evidence of mechanical failure,” one source told Reuters, adding that no advisories or safety bulletins have been issued to other 787 operators. Boeing has declined to comment on the investigation.
Aviation experts, including former U.S. pilot and safety analyst John Cox, have noted that the fuel switches are not easily moved accidentally. “You can’t bump them and they move,” Cox said. “If a switch is shut off, the loss of engine power is almost immediate.”
The investigation, led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), has also been criticized for its lack of transparency. Authorities took nearly two weeks to retrieve and process black box data, and the Indian government has held only one press briefing, during which no questions were taken.
However, in a shift from earlier reports, India has now allowed a United Nations aviation expert to join the probe in an observer capacity. The expert is from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which had made a rare offer to assist in the investigation.
The anticipated report will be released roughly 30 days after the crash, in line with international aviation protocol, but sources cautioned that the content may be limited and subject to last-minute changes.
The crash has dealt a blow to Tata Group’s efforts to restore Air India’s global standing since it reacquired the airline from the government in 2022. It also raises broader concerns about aviation safety as India seeks to position itself as a global air travel hub akin to Dubai.
A parliamentary panel is set to meet on Wednesday to examine safety standards in India’s civil aviation sector. Industry leaders and government officials have been summoned to discuss, among other issues, the Air India disaster.
Written By Rodney Mbua
