Air India grounds Boeing 787 after fuel control switch issue during engine startup
Air India has grounded a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner after a pilot reported that the aircraft’s left engine fuel control switch failed to remain in the ‘run’ position and twice moved to ‘cutoff’ during engine startup, an airline spokesperson said.
The incident involved flight AI 132, which operated from London Heathrow to Bengaluru on Monday.
Following the pilot’s report, Air India grounded the aircraft as a precautionary measure and informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
“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 to get the pilot’s concerns checked on a priority basis,” an Air India spokesperson told the media.
Boeing confirmed it is in contact with the airline. “We will defer it to the customer. We are in contact with Air India and are supporting their review of this matter,” a Boeing spokesperson said.
Air India said it had earlier carried out checks on the fuel control switches across its Boeing 787 fleet following a directive from the DGCA and found no issues at the time.
“At Air India, the safety of our passengers and crew remains our top priority,” the spokesperson added.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of fuel control switches following the preliminary investigation report into the July 2025 Air India Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people.
Investigators found that seconds after takeoff, the fuel control switches for both engines were briefly moved from ‘run’ to ‘cutoff’, starving the engines of fuel and causing a loss of power.
According to aviation experts, fuel control switches are designed to prevent accidental movement. On the Boeing 787, the switches are located below the thrust levers and are spring-loaded, requiring pilots to pull them up before moving them between ‘run’ and ‘cutoff’.
In the Ahmedabad crash, cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot questioning the other about cutting off the fuel, with the second pilot denying any such action. The switches were later found in the ‘run’ position at the crash site, investigators said.
The DGCA and aircraft manufacturer are now involved in examining the latest reported issue to determine whether further action is required.
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