Latest news with #AirworthinessDirective
News18
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- News18
UK Regulator Flagged Boeing 787 Fuel Switch Risks Weeks Before Air India Crash: Report
Last Updated: The FAA directive specifically called attention to fuel shutoff valve actuators, raising them as a possible safety hazard. Just four weeks before the deadly crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft in Ahmedabad, the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had issued a formal safety notice highlighting concerns related to fuel control systems in several Boeing aircraft, including the 787 Dreamliner, India Today reported. According to the report, on May 15, the UK's CAA released a Safety Notice urging operators of five Boeing aircraft types, including the 787, to examine whether their fleets were affected by a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Directive (AD). The FAA directive specifically called attention to fuel shutoff valve actuators, raising them as a possible safety hazard. The UK regulator instructed that daily checks must be carried out. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a safety notice highlighting a potential hazard involving fuel shutoff valves installed on multiple Boeing aircraft models, including the 737, 757, 767, 777, and 787. Citing a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Directive (AD), the CAA urged airline operators to take immediate precautionary measures, specifically to test, inspect, or replace the fuel shutoff valve actuators on the affected aircraft types. After preliminary findings from the investigation into the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI-171, major international airlines have started inspecting the fuel control switch locking mechanisms on their Boeing 787 aircraft, according to a report. The directive came just after an initial probe report of the plane crash involving an Air India flight AI-171, which resulted in 270 fatalities, was released. Etihad Airways issued an internal instruction on July 13 directing engineers to examine the locking mechanisms on its Boeing 787 aircraft, specifically referencing aircraft registered as A6-BLI. According to the AAIB, cockpit audio recorded a conversation between the pilots, with one asking, 'Why did you cut off (the fuel supply)?" The other responded that he had not done so. The Boeing 787's fuel control switches are designed with a locking system that prevents unintentional movement. The switch must be lifted before being moved into position—either forward to initiate fuel supply (RUN) or backwards to stop it (CUTOFF). view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- India Today
UK regulator flagged Boeing fuel switches four weeks before Air India crash
Just four weeks before an Air India Boeing 787-8 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had flagged fuel control switches on several Boeing planes and ordered daily UK aviation regulator issued a safety notice on May 15 instructing operators of five Boeing models, including the 787 Dreamliner, to review a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Directive (AD) -- a legally enforceable regulation to correct unsafe conditions in a product -- and determine whether it affected their fleet. The FAA directive had flagged fuel shutoff valve actuators as a potential safety FAA has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) addressing a potential unsafe condition affecting fuel shutoff valves installed on the following Boeing aircraft: B737, B757, B767, B777, B787," the CAA notice read. A fuel shut-off valve is a safety device that stops the flow of fuel to the engine, typically used for maintenance, in case of an engine fire, or during forced landings. It is a key component that helps prevent fuel leaks and ensures the safe operation of the aircraft. The UK regulator directed airline operators to test, inspect, or replace fuel shutoff valve actuators on Boeing 787s, among the safety notice specifically ordered that daily checks of the fuel shutoff valves be carried out on aircraft impacted by the matter came to the fore after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India noted in its preliminary report on the Air India crash that fuel control switches, which regulate the flow of fuel to each engine, unexpectedly moved to 'CUTOFF' shortly after liftoff, which caused both engines to shut FAA, in a notification issued on July 11, stated the fuel control switch design does not pose any safety risks, and Boeing echoed that view in guidance to global airlines. However, the UK CAA's directive in May mandated urgent operator-level action, with checks required and compliance to be to reports, Air India replaced the Throttle Control Module (TCM), which houses the fuel control switches, on the crashed Dreamliner in 2019 and 2023, in line with Boeing's standard maintenance the AAIB preliminary report found that Air India didn't inspect the locking mechanism of the fuel cutoff switches, as recommended by a 2018 FAA advisory. The airline maintains that as the advisory wasn't mandatory, it did not carry out the Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said in an internal communication that the initial findings of the probe "identified no cause nor made any recommendations", and urged against drawing premature conclusions about who is at fault for the deadly crash.- Ends
USA Today
15 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
Boeing, FAA say fuel switches are safe after preliminary Air India crash report
WASHINGTON, NEW DELHI, MONTREAL ― The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing have privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe, a document seen by Reuters showed and four sources with knowledge of the matter said. The FAA's Continued Airworthiness Notification on July 11 came after a preliminary report into Air India's Boeing 787-8 crash, which killed 260 people last month, raised questions over engine fuel cutoff switches. The FAA's notification to Civil Aviation Authorities, seen by Reuters, 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." When asked for comment by Reuters, the FAA said it did not have anything to add beyond the notification. Boeing also referred to the FAA notification in a Multi-Operator-Message sent to the airlines in the past few days, which said the planemaker is not recommending any action, two of the sources with direct knowledge said. When asked for comment, Boeing referred Reuters' questions to the FAA. The preliminary investigation report into the crash by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), referred to a 2018 FAA advisory, which recommended, but did not mandate, operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking feature of the fuel cutoff switches to ensure it could not be moved accidentally. The report said Air India had said it had not carried out the FAA's suggested inspections, as the FAA 2018 advisory was not a mandate. But it also said maintenance records showed that the throttle control module, which includes the fuel switches, was replaced in 2019 and 2023 on the plane involved in the crash. The report noted "all applicable airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins were complied on the aircraft as well as engines." ALPA India, which represents Indian pilots at the Montreal-based International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations, in a statement on Saturday, rejected the presumption of pilot error and called for a "fair, fact-based inquiry." "The pilots body must now be made part of the probe, at least as observers," ALPA India President Sam Thomas told Reuters on Sunday. ALPA India, in a letter posted on social media, said the preliminary investigation report referred to the 2018 FAA advisory "concerning the fuel control switch gates, which indicates a potential equipment malfunction." In the flight's final moments, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said. It said fuel switches had almost simultaneously flipped from run to cutoff just after takeoff. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped during the flight. Two U.S. safety experts said on Saturday they backed ALPA India's request to be observers in the probe, but said the investigation report did not suggest a bias toward pilot error. John Cox, a pilot and former ALPA U.S. representative, said AAIB's report seemed objective and fair.
Saudi Gazette
19 hours ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Boeing fuel switches safe, regulator says after Air India crash
SINGAPORE — The US aviation regulator has said fuel control switches in Boeing airplanes are safe, following their reported involvement in a fatal Air India crash that killed 260 people in June. The safety of the switches has become a key point of concern after a preliminary report on the disaster was released by investigators on Friday. That report said fuel to the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner engines was cut off moments after take-off from Ahmedabad airport, and highlighted past FAA reports that suggested the switches should be inspected for safety. In an email seen by the BBC, Air India's chief executive warned against jumping to "premature conclusions" following the report's publication. The disaster involving London-bound Flight 171 was one of the worst aviation incidents globally in almost a decade. Switches controlling fuel flow to the jet's engines had been moved from "run" to the "cut-off" position, hampering the thrust of the plane, according to the preliminary report, which was published by the India Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).Investigators referred to a 2018 FAA advisory, which urged — but did not mandate — operators of Boeing models to inspect the locking feature of the fuel cut-off switches to ensure they could not be moved by step was not taken by Air India, the AAIB said in its early US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday told civil aviation authorities that it had seen AAIB's preliminary noted that its own 2018 advisory "was based on reports that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged" — but added that it does not believe this makes the planes unsafe."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," said the authority, in an internal note shared with the BBC."The FAA will continue to share relevant information with foreign civil aviation authorities as appropriate."AAIB, which reviewed recovered cockpit voice recordings, reported that one pilot could be heard during the flight asking the other why he cut off the fuel."The other pilot responded that he did not do so," said the said the fuel switches had almost simultaneously flipped from run to cut-off just after take-off. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped during the India chief executive Campbell Wilson has warned against drawing "premature conclusions" about the cause of the accident in an email to staff seen by the said there was "an ongoing cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines" that had appeared over the past month, many of which had later been report, he stressed, had identified no cause for the accident, and nor had it made any recommendations."The investigation is far from over", he said."We will continue to cooperate with the investigators to ensure they have everything they need to conduct a thorough and comprehensive said the report had "found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or engines", adding that all necessary checks had been carried out before the extra checks had been carried out across Air India's 787 fleet within days of the accident "out of an abundance of caution". All were found to be fit for service, he India Flight 171 was scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad in India to London's Gatwick plane crashed into a medical college near the airport within a minute of take-off, killing 260 people who were mostly passengers. One British national survived the are expected to produce a more detailed report in 12 months. — BBC
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Air India replaced the crashed jet's fuel switch twice—so why did both engines fail seconds after takeoff? Details here
Air India replaced the Throttle Control Module (TCM) , the unit that houses the fuel control switches, twice on its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft (registration VT-ANB), which crashed on June 12. The replacements occurred in 2019 and again in 2023, both done as per Boeing's Maintenance Planning Document, which requires the TCM to be changed every 24,000 flight hours. The crash happened shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. Investigators noted that the TCM includes the fuel switches that suddenly moved to "CUTOFF" during takeoff, shutting down both engines and causing the aircraft to lose altitude and crash into a nearby structure, killing 260 people. However, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) stated that the TCM replacements were routine and not related to any known defect. FAA, Boeing maintain switch design is safe After the AAIB released its preliminary report, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Continued Airworthiness Notification on July 11. The FAA stated there is no evidence that the fuel control switch design poses a safety risk and ruled out the need for a formal Airworthiness Directive. Boeing shared the same assessment with other airlines in a communication sent to global operators of the 787 aircraft, recommending no further action at this stage. The report also referenced a 2018 FAA advisory that had recommended checking the locking mechanism of the fuel cutoff switches. The advisory was not mandatory, and Air India confirmed it had not performed the inspection due to this reason. Cockpit recordings reveal confusion over fuel cutoff Voice recordings from the cockpit indicated that the fuel switches were turned to "CUTOFF" seconds after takeoff, first one switch, then the other, just a second apart. 'Why did you cut off the fuel?' one pilot asked.'I did not do so,' the other replied. According to the AAIB, both engines briefly restarted after the switches were reset to "RUN" but then failed again. The aircraft was unable to climb and crashed within minutes of departure. Despite not conducting the optional 2018 inspection, Air India's maintenance logs confirm that all required directives and service bulletins were followed. The TCM had been replaced twice as required and was fully functional before the incident. The exact reason the fuel switches activated remains unknown. Investigators continue probing the sequence ahead of the final report release.
