NEW DELHI, India — The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday said fuel control switches on an Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft were found to be functioning properly following inspections, issuing a clarification after reports suggested a possible malfunction during a London departure.
In a rejoinder to media reports, the ministry said Air India engineering teams conducted checks in line with Boeing’s recommended procedures on the fuel control switches of aircraft VT-ANX and found both the left and right switches to be satisfactory.
According to the ministry, inspections confirmed that the locking mechanism was fully seated and did not slip from the RUN to the CUTOFF position when force was applied correctly. However, the statement noted that applying external pressure in an incorrect direction could cause the switch to move, due to the angular design of the base plate.
The ministry said further tests were conducted to measure the pull-to-unlock force of the fuel control switch using Boeing’s prescribed method. These checks were carried out on the affected switch, the replacement fuel control unit, and the fuel cut-off switch on another aircraft. In all cases, the pull-to-unlock force was found to be within specified limits. Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation were present during the inspections.
The ministry also said a video circulating on social media was reviewed against Boeing’s procedures and found to demonstrate an incorrect method of operating the fuel cut-off switch. Air India has been advised to circulate the correct Boeing-recommended procedure among its flight crews.
The clarification follows an incident on February 1, 2026, when Air India flight AI 132, operating from London to Bengaluru, experienced an issue during engine start. On two occasions, the flight crew observed that the fuel control switch did not remain firmly latched in the RUN position when light vertical pressure was applied. On a third attempt, the switch latched correctly and remained stable.
Before proceeding, the crew physically verified that the switch was fully and positively latched in the RUN position. The ministry said no abnormal engine parameters, warnings, cautions, or system alerts were observed during engine start or at any point during the flight.
The operating crew was briefed on the observation, unnecessary contact with the switch was avoided, and engine indications and alert systems were closely monitored for the remainder of the journey. The flight landed in Bengaluru without incident.
After landing, the crew recorded the observation in the post-flight defect report. Air India subsequently referred the matter to Boeing for guidance, after which further inspections were conducted by the airline’s engineering team in the presence of DGCA officials, the ministry said. (Source: IANS)
