An Air India Boeing 787-8 that was supposed to fly from London to Bengaluru on Monday was stopped from flying and grounded after a pilot noticed something wrong with the aircraft’s fuel control switch, the airline said in a statement.
The plane was due to operate flight AI 132, but while completing pre-flight checks and procedures prior to departure, a potential problem with this aircraft was found, therefore the aircraft was taken out of service as a safety precaution.
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Airline issues statement
According to news agency Hindustan Times, the airline said in a statement, "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 said aircraft and are involving the OEM to get the pilot's concerns checked on a priority basis."
An OEM is an Original Equipment Manufacturer. In aviation, it means the company that built the aircraft or its parts. In this case, that company is Boeing, which manufactured the 787 plane and its systems.
DGCA notified
Air India has stated that it has formally notifying the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), regarding this issue, including performing additional technical checks in cooperation with the aircraft manufacturer.
The airline also reported that it had previously completed a fleet-wide inspection of fuel control switches on all Boeing 787 aircraft. The inspections were conducted after the DGCA's recent directive. However, there were no issues at the time of those inspections.
According to the airline, it has brought this incident to the attention of the DGCA and is firmly committed to ensuring the safety of both its passengers and crew as its "top priority".
"The matter has been communicated to the aviation regulator, DGCA. Air India had checked the fuel control switches on all Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet after a directive from the DGCA, and had found no issues. At Air India, the safety of our passengers and crew remains top priority," the Air India statement added.
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What happened on the flight?
The incident took place on Monday during the Air India flight AI132 from London Heathrow to Bengaluru. Hindustan Times quoted a press release from Safety Matters Foundation, circulating on social media, saying that the crew reported abnormal behaviour of the LEFT engine fuel control switch on a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, VT-ANX.
"During engine start, the switch failed to remain locked in the RUN position on two attempts, moving towards CUTOFF—a malfunction that could, under specific conditions, lead to an inadvertent engine shutdown in flight," the release added.
