Air India Grounds Boeing 787 Dreamliner After Fuel Control Switch Malfunction
Air India has grounded one of its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft (registration VT-ANX) following a pilot’s report of a potential defect in the fuel control switch, the critical component that regulates fuel flow to the engines.
The issue surfaced on Flight AI132 from London Heathrow to Bengaluru. The aircraft landed safely in Bengaluru at approximately 11:54 AM local time on Monday. According to reports from aviation safety advocates and airline sources, during engine startup or related checks, the left engine’s fuel control switch failed to lock securely in the ‘RUN’ position on two separate attempts and drifted toward the ‘CUTOFF’ position.
This malfunction raises concerns because an unintended shift to ‘CUTOFF’ could cut fuel supply to an engine, potentially leading to power loss if it occurred in flight, though the incident was identified on the ground with no disruption to the completed journey.
In an official statement, Air India said,
“We are aware that one of our pilots has reported a possible defect on the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft. After receiving this initial information, we have grounded the aircraft and are involving the OEM [Boeing] to get the pilot’s concerns checked on a priority basis. The matter has been communicated to the aviation regulator, DGCA.”
The airline emphasized that it had previously inspected fuel control switches across its entire Boeing 787 fleet following a DGCA directive issued after last year’s tragic incident, with no anomalies detected at that time. Boeing has confirmed it is in contact with Air India and assisting in the review.
The development draws renewed attention due to parallels with the crash of Air India Flight AI171, another Boeing 787, on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad. That accident, which claimed 260 lives, remains under investigation. Preliminary findings indicated that both engine fuel control switches transitioned from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ seconds after takeoff, starving the engines of fuel and causing a rapid loss of power.
No injuries, emergencies, or passenger disruptions occurred in the latest case. The affected aircraft remains out of service pending detailed inspections by Boeing and Air India engineers. The DGCA is overseeing the process to ensure fleet safety.
