Boeing Clears Dreamliner Fuel Switch but Thrust Module Probe Continues
Boeing found no defect in a fuel control switch on an Air India 787-8 after a pilot report, but the investigation into the Thrust Control Module is ongoing amid scrutiny from the Ahmedabad crash.
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Boeing has determined that a fuel control switch on an Air India Boeing 787-8, which was grounded in February after a pilot reported a potential problem, has no defect. However, the manufacturer continues to examine the broader Thrust Control Module as questions persist about a fatal crash last year.
The aircraft, operating as flight AI132 from London Heathrow to Bengaluru, was taken out of service on 2 February 2026 after the pilot observed that the left engine fuel control switch failed to lock into the 'run' position on two attempts and slipped to 'cutoff' when pushed down slightly. A third attempt operated normally.
Boeing conducted a detailed inspection of the fuel control switch locking mechanism at its facility in Seattle, with a representative from India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation present. The examination, which included assessing the structural integrity of the locking detents, revealed no abnormalities, the company stated.
Following the incident, Air India performed precautionary checks on the fuel control switches across its entire fleet of operational Boeing 787 aircraft. No issues were identified during those inspections.
Nevertheless, the investigation into the complete Thrust Control Module at Boeing's Seattle facility remains ongoing, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The February incident has drawn renewed attention to the crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 that went down shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on 12 June 2025, killing all 260 people on board and on the ground.
India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released a preliminary report on 12 July 2025, which stated that fuel supply to both engines was cut off within one second after departure. The cockpit voice recording captured one pilot asking the other why they had cut off the fuel, with the other responding that they had not done so.
The final AAIB report has not yet been published. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha on 29 July 2026 that the investigation is in its final stages and that the report has not been delayed. The government has confirmed that the final report will be made public and uploaded on the AAIB website once completed.