Air India Grounds Boeing 787 Dreamliner After Pilot Flags Potential Fuel Control Switch Defect
In a development that has captured significant attention across the global aviation community, Air India has grounded one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft after a pilot reported an issue with a critical component, the fuel control switch, during a recent flight. The move comes amid heightened safety focus following last year’s tragic Dreamliner crash near Ahmedabad, and underscores the airline’s commitment to safety and precaution.
🛫 What Happened: The Incident in Brief
On 2 February 2026, during the final leg of a long-haul flight from London Heathrow to Bengaluru, the crew of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (registration VT-ANX) noticed unusual behaviour in the aircraft’s left engine fuel control switch. According to the pilot’s report, the switch failed to stay securely in the “RUN” position and tended to move toward “CUTOFF” even with a light touch. This situation should not occur under normal operation.
After landing safely in Bengaluru, the aircraft was grounded immediately and removed from service as a precautionary measure. Air India informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulator, and initiated a priority review of the issue with the aircraft’s manufacturer, Boeing.
The airline has also launched a precautionary, fleet-wide re-inspection of all fuel control switches on its 33 Boeing 787 aircraft to ensure there are no wider systemic concerns.
🔧 Why the Fuel Control Switch Matters
The fuel control switch is a small but vital component of an aircraft’s engine management system. It regulates the flow of fuel to the engines and directly affects whether an engine is running or shut down. On a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the switches are:
- Spring-loaded to prevent inadvertent movement
- Designed to require a deliberate action to change position
- Used by flight crews to start or shut down engines on the ground and, in emergencies, in flight
In routine operations, these switches should remain firmly in the “RUN” position throughout the flight. Any unexpected or unintended movement toward “CUTOFF” could potentially disrupt the fuel flow and, in extreme cases, lead to loss of engine power.
🧠 Background Safety Scrutiny After Last Year’s Crash
This incident takes place under an intense global spotlight on Dreamliner safety, particularly regarding fuel control mechanisms.
In June 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8, tragically crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people. A preliminary investigation report found that, moments after liftoff, both engine fuel control switches moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within a second of each other, starving both engines of fuel and leading to dual-engine failure.
The unexpected behavior of those switches — and the confusion reflected in cockpit voice recordings — became central to the initial probe and raised urgent questions about mechanical design, human-machine interaction, and redundancy systems in modern aircraft.
In the wake of that crash, the DGCA and operators like Air India inspected fuel switches across their fleets, and Boeing and regulators around the world examined historical data and advisory notices related to switch mechanisms.
✈️ What Air India Is Doing Now
In response to this latest report:
📌 Grounding and Inspection
- The affected Boeing 787-8 was immediately taken out of service.
- Air India has begun a fleet-wide re-inspection of fuel control switches on all its Dreamliners as a precaution.
- So far, no other aircraft in the fleet have shown abnormalities during re-checks.
📌 Engagement With Boeing and Regulators
- The aircraft’s OEM Boeing, is assisting in the evaluation of the reported issue.
- The matter has been formally communicated to the DGCA.
- Air India also emphasized that passenger and crew safety remains its “top priority”.
📌 Pilot Reporting Protocols
Internal communications from Air India’s flight operations leadership have also encouraged flight crews to report any irregularities immediately, so that maintenance teams can act quickly.
