The preliminary investigation into the recent Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has ruled out any defect in the aircraft’s fuel control switch.

According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report released on Saturday, a thorough scrutiny of maintenance records and historical advisories confirms that the component — the fuel switch — was functioning as intended.

However, the report also reveals that seven years ago, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had flagged a potential disengagement issue with the fuel control switch.

“The FAA issued Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) No. NM-18-33 on December 17, 2018, regarding the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature," an excerpt from the report read.

Air India’s affected aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 registered as VT-ANB, uses a similar fuel control switch design, part number 4TL837-3D.

As per the report, Air India clarified that while the FAA’s advisory suggested inspections, they were not carried out since the guidance was not mandatory.

A review of VT-ANB’s maintenance logs showed that the throttle control module had been replaced in both 2019 and 2023. Importantly, neither replacement was related to the fuel control switch.

Since 2023, no defects have been reported concerning this component on VT-ANB. Authorities continue to probe other potential causes behind the crash, but the fuel control switch has been officially cleared of fault.