DGCA Orders Mandatory Fuel Switch Checks On Boeing 787, 737 By July 21 Amid Air India Crash Probe

India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has directed all domestic carriers operating Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft to complete crucial inspections on the fuel switch locking systems by 21 July 2025. The directive follows global action prompted by a 2018 bulletin issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The move comes in the wake of heightened safety scrutiny after the deadly crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad last month, which killed 260 people, including 19 on the ground. While the preliminary probe has raised fresh questions, the DGCA is urging strict compliance with established safety bulletins.

The DGCA has mandated that all Indian operators of affected aircraft must carry out inspections under the FAA’s Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) NM-18-33, dated 17 December 2018. This SAIB highlights the risk of disengagement of the fuel control switch locking mechanism across several Boeing aircraft models.

According to the DGCA order, “All airline operators of the affected aircraft are hereby advised to complete the inspection required under SAIB Number: NM-18-33, dated 17th December 2018, no later than 21st July 2025.”

The directive also instructs operators to submit a post-inspection report to the DGCA, with a copy to the relevant regional office. “Strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations,” the DGCA stated in an order copy shared by news agency ANI.

Preliminary Crash Report ‘Raises More Questions’: Air India CEO

Meanwhile, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson reacted to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report on the June 12 crash of flight AI171, saying the findings have “raised more questions” and it would be unwise to draw conclusions prematurely.

“The release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions,” Wilson said in a message to staff, as reported by news agency PTI.

He stressed that no mechanical faults or maintenance lapses were flagged, and fuel quality and take-off roll were within normal parameters. “The pilots had passed mandatory pre-fight breathalyser tests,” he added.

Fuel Cut-Off in Both Engines Within Seconds

The AAIB report noted that fuel supply to both engines was cut off within a second of each other, leading to confusion in the cockpit and the aircraft crashing shortly after take-off. Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the other, “why he had cut off the fuel,” to which the other responded with denial.

The report, however, stopped short of identifying a specific cause or recommending corrective measures.

Pilots’ Body, Experts Urge Caution in Drawing Conclusions

In response to speculation surrounding the incident, the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) said the AI171 crew acted according to their training and under extremely challenging circumstances. It cautioned against vilifying pilots based on incomplete data.

Echoing similar sentiments, former AAIB chief Aurobindo Handa remarked, “It will be too premature to draw conclusions on the role of pilots from the preliminary investigation report into the fatal crash of the Air India plane last month and the final report will mention about the most probable cause for the accident.”

Wilson affirmed that all Boeing 787s in Air India’s fleet had undergone checks within days of the accident and were deemed airworthy. “We continue to perform all necessary checks, as we will any new ones that authorities may suggest,” he said, adding that the airline remains committed to full cooperation with investigators.

“Let us not be diverted from what are our top priorities: standing by the bereaved and those injured, working together as a team, and delivering a safe and reliable air travel experience to our customers around the world,” Wilson told employees, as per PTI.

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