Safety notices raise alerts on B787 fuel valves, switches
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Kolkata: A day after DGCA ordered checks on fuel control switches of Boeing aircraft based on a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) NM-18-33 issued by US regulator Federal Aviation Authority in Dec 17, 2018, an Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by FAA on Sept 19, 2015, on fuel shutoff valves has come to light.
This AD, which required mandatory compliance, was flagged again a month later by UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which issued a safety notice requiring airlines to check fuel shutoff valves on Boeing aircraft. It mentioned that while fuel shutoff valves on aircraft, including B737, B757, B767, and B777, required inspection, those on B787s needed to be replaced. The AI plane that crashed on June 12 was a B787 Dreamliner.
The preliminary investigation report also established that the crash was due to the plane losing thrust as fuel to the engines was cut off. While the report mentions transitioning the fuel switch from ON to CUT OFF and back to ON, some pilots say this sequence was required to be carried out in case fuel flow to the engines ceased, per the Boeing manual. The 2015 AD, the 2018 SAIB as well as the valve problem being raised again by CAA point to an inherent issue with the throttle control module used in B787 aircraft, and not just the fuel switches hinted at in the preliminary report.
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The CAA safety notice (SN-2015/005) issued on May 15, 2025, less than a month before the June 12 Air India crash, reiterated the 2015 AD issued by FAA. It reads: "...the fuel shutoff valve actuators on the B787... require replacement, test and/or inspection..."
"The Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO) for operators of B787 aircraft should immediately make themselves aware of the relevant AD and establish whether it affects any aircraft...
The operation check AD must be documented in the Operations Manual along with reference to the AD number," the notice added.
Aviation safety experts and airline pilots said the AD was absolutely critical. An airline official said Indian carriers were mandated to follow the ADs issued by DGCA, while the CAA AD requires compliance by UK airlines. They acknowledged that the AD issued by FAA in Sept 2015 needed to be compulsorily acted upon and said DGCA issued the AD concerned in 2015. AI was under govt management back then. Airline sources said necessary action was taken.
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