In brief
In a significant safety move, Air India has grounded one of its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner jets after a pilot raised concerns over a potential defect in the aircraft's fuel control switch. The airline has reported the issue to India's aviation regulator and is prioritizing a thorough investigation. This comes at a sensitive time following a tragic crash last June that involved a similar aircraft model, prompting further scrutiny into the safety of Boeing Dreamliners in India.
Air India has grounded a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner jet after one of its pilots reported a possible defect in the aircraft's fuel control switch.
The airline said in a statement on Monday that it had informed India's aviation regulator about the issue and that it was getting the pilot's concerns checked on a priority basis.
We are in contact with Air India and are supporting their review of this matter, a Boeing spokesperson said in response to an email.
The grounding comes amid an ongoing investigation into a plane crash last June involving an Air India aircraft of the same model which killed 260 people.
The airline did not specify the nature of the issue flagged by its pilot or details of the flight.
But Reuters and The Times of India reported that the defect was flagged after the plane landed in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru after taking off from London.
Last year's fatal crash of the London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner occurred less than a minute after the plane took off from Ahmedabad airport in western India. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the crash and a final report is expected to be released in a few months.
A preliminary report last July stated that the plane's engines shut down after its fuel switches moved from the 'run' to the 'cut off' position shortly after take-off, but did not establish the cause.
Following the incident, the US aviation regulator affirmed the safety of fuel control switches in Boeing airplanes.
India's aviation regulator had previously launched an investigation into cockpit fuel switches in Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 aircraft operating in the country. Air India had stated then that its inspections found no issues with the switching mechanism, a claim it reiterated on Monday.
Air India had checked the fuel control switches on all Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet after a directive from the DGCA [Directorate General of Civil Aviation], and had found no issues, the airline stated.
