DGCA mandates airlines to inspect fuel switches by July 21, days after the release of Air India crash probe report

Indian aviation watchdog has asked airlines to check the fuel switch locking system in their Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft. This move comes days after the Air India crash preliminary probe report, which was released recently, found that the switches were moved to the cut-off position before the accident. 

"It has come to the notice of DGCA that several operators-internationally as well as domestically, have initiated inspection on their aircraft fleet as per the SAIB NM 18-33 dated 17th December 2018. In view of the above, all airline operators of the affected aircraft are hereby advised to complete the inspection required under SAIB Number NM 18-33, no later than 21st July 2025," mentioned the official DGCA order. 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2018 had flagged the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature on certain models of Boeing aircraft, including 787s and 737s. It was mentioned in a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB), but there was no airworthiness directive, indicating that the issue was not a safety concern.

Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air and SpiceJet are among the domestic carriers operating Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft.

Meanwhile, Air India Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said the probe into the June 12 crash of an Air India plane in Ahmedabad, which killed all but one of the 242 onboard and 19 others on the ground, was far from over and it is unwise to jump to any premature conclusions. He also noted that the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or engines, and that all mandatory maintenance tasks had been completed.

India