Amid conversations about Boeing fuel switches’ potential involvement in the Air India Flight 171 tragedy last month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing reportedly believe that the latter’s fuel switches are safe.
Per Reuters, the FAA notified the Civil Aviation Authorities about the safety of Boeing fuel switches. The federal agency reportedly said, “Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787.”
Reuters also reported that Boeing stated no action is needed in a message sent to airlines regarding the FAA’s notification to the Civil Aviation Authorities.
What Else Is There To Know About Boeing Fuel Switches And Their Involvement In The June 2025 Fatal Air India Plane Crash?
Air India Flight 171 departed from Ahmedabad for London on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Shortly after takeoff, the plane crashed, leaving 260 dead. Due to the tragic incident, 229 passengers and 12 cabin crew died, sparing one survivor. Additionally, 19 people on the ground at the crash site lost their lives.
The Tata Group, Air India’s owner, later announced that each family whose loved one was involved in Flight 171’s crash will be compensated with 10 million Indian rupees, around $120,000.
The Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) reportedly shared in its initial crash report that one of Flight 171’s pilots switched the Boeing fuel switches to the “cutoff position.” It’s unclear why the pilot cut off the fuel or if they did so intentionally. According to the recording from the cockpit, when one pilot asked why the other cut off the fuel, the AAIB report stated that “the other pilot responded that he did not do so.”
Regardless, the switches were allegedly switched to “run” a short time after they were changed to “cutoff,” according to Simply Flying.
