Airlines conducting fuel system inspections due to refueling concerns

Airlines conducting fuel system inspections due to refueling concerns

Following the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 on July 4, which resulted in 260 fatalities, the fuel control switch locks on Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft have come under renewed scrutiny.

On July 11, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Continued Airworthiness Notification in response to the preliminary investigation into the Air India crash. Despite questions about the possible accidental activation of the fuel cutoff switches shortly after takeoff, the FAA stated that the fuel control switch design—including the locking feature—is similar across various Boeing models and does not consider this an unsafe condition warranting an Airworthiness Directive for these airplanes.

However, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken a more precautionary stance. In response to the crash, the DGCA has ordered all Indian carriers operating Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft to inspect the locking mechanisms on fuel switches by July 21, 2025. This urgent measure stems from the AAIB's preliminary findings indicating that the fuel supply to both engines was cut off within one second shortly after takeoff.

Prior to the DGCA directive, some airlines worldwide had already started voluntary inspections of these fuel cutoff switches. However, Air India had not conducted the earlier recommended inspections from the FAA's 2018 advisory since it was not mandatory. Air India has also informed investigators that it replaced the cockpit module containing the fuel control switches twice (in 2019 and 2023), though not related to the fuel switch locking concern.

Boeing and the FAA have communicated privately that the fuel switch locks on Boeing aircraft remain safe. The FAA's 2018 advisory highlighted potential disengagements but did not escalate to issuing an Airworthiness Directive, reflecting their assessment that the issue does not currently represent an unsafe condition.

Several international aviation regulators and airlines have launched precautionary checks despite the FAA and Boeing's stance. Etihad Airways, for instance, issued an internal directive to its Boeing 787 pilots last week, instructing them to "exercise caution" when handling the fuel control switches. South Korea is also preparing to issue a directive instructing its domestic airlines to inspect the fuel control switches on Boeing jets.

The AAIB's preliminary report revealed that cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel had been cut, and the second pilot replied, "I did not do so." The switches were found to have moved to CUTOFF nearly simultaneously shortly after takeoff, but investigators have not yet determined how or why that occurred.

Sources: [1] FAA Continued Airworthiness Notification, July 11, 2025. [2] DGCA Directive, July 15, 2025. [3] Air India Statement, July 15, 2025. [4] Reuters, July 15, 2025.

1. The recentdirective by India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has mandated all Indian airlines operating Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft to conduct inspections of fuel switch locking mechanisms by July 21, 2025, due to concerns raised by the Air India crash investigation.
2. Despite the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing's assurances about the safety of fuel switch locks on Boeing aircraft, several international aviation regulators and airlines, such as Etihad Airways and South Korea, have launched precautionary checks, following the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash and its industry-wide implications on the transportation and aviation sector.

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