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Daily Mail
18 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Air India was warned about wrongly installed fuel switches more than six years before crash that killed 241 passengers on board
Air India was warned about wrongly installed fuel switches more than six years before a crash that killed 260 people, it was revealed yesterday. Investigators are probing how two fuel switches in the cockpit of Air India Flight 171 were turned off shortly after take off, resulting in a catastrophic loss of power and the aircraft crashing to the ground. The switches' 'locking feature' meant pilots had to lift them up before changing their position. But a preliminary report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said yesterday that in December 2018 the US air regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned airlines that fuel switches had been installed in some Boeing 737s 'with the locking feature disengaged'. 'If the locking feature is disengaged, the switch can be moved between the two positions without lifting the switch during transition, and the switch would be exposed to the potential of inadvertent operation,' the FAA warned in a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin. 'Inadvertent operation of the switch could result in an unintended consequence, such as an in-flight engine shutdown.' It recommended airlines inspect the switches, including 'whether the fuel control switch can be moved between the two positions without lifting up the switch'. Air India has suggested such inspections were not carried out because the FAA's bulletin was 'advisory and not mandatory'. But the report also highlighted the aircraft's maintenance records show its throttle control module – the part of the cockpit which includes the two fuel switches – was replaced in 2019 and 2023. Each time, the decision was not linked to the switches and no defects with them were reported in the last two years, it added. An Air India spokesman said: 'Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. 'We continue to fully co-operate with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and other authorities as their investigation progresses.' Grieving families of victims killed in Air India crash in anguish over mystery of whether disaster that left 241 passengers dead was a mechanical fault or deliberate Grieving relatives of victims of the Air India crash have voiced their anguish amid a deepening mystery over how the jet's fuel supply was switched off seconds before the disaster. A report into the crash near Ahmedabad, India, which killed 260 people last month, including 52 British nationals, yesterday revealed how just seconds after take-off, both of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's fuel-control switches moved to the 'cut-off' position, starving the engines of fuel and triggering total power loss. One pilot was heard on the aircraft's voice recorder asking his fellow pilot why he had cut off the fuel supply – only for him to reply that he had not done so. Moments later – with not enough time for one of the engines to restart – the plane crashed into a medical hostel. Some 241 passengers and crew and 19 people on the ground died. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, a businessman from Leicester, who was sitting in seat 11A, was the sole survivor. Dr Mario Donadi, a friend of Dr Prateek Joshi, a radiologist at the Royal Derby Hospital, who died alongside his wife and three children, described the report as 'shocking' and a 'slap in the face'. 'How [can] something so trivial [as] a simple switch being deactivated lead to such a loss of life, of huge dreams?',' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Bhaval Shah, a family friend of victim Kinal Mistry, 24, said: 'If these switches can't be turned off easily and if no software glitch could have been responsible, then it is deliberate, isn't it? Then it's sabotage or suicide.' The 15-page report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has thrown a spotlight on the two small fuel switches which were located just below the thrust levers in the cockpit. The tailend of Air India flight 171 is pictured after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025 Air India has said that the flight's captain, Sumeet Sabharwal (left) had over 10,000 hours experience of flying wide-body or larger aircrafts - while his co-pilot Clive Kunder also had over 3,400 hours of flying experience The 12-year-old jet, bound for Gatwick airport, took off within its 'allowable' weight limits, including 54,200kg of fuel, the report stated. But three seconds later, the fuel switches were abruptly moved from the 'run' position to the 'cut-off' position. Investigators say the switches have a locking feature which is designed to prevent them being accidentally activated. A pilot has to pull up the switch before moving it to its new position. Protective guard brackets further shield them from accidental bumps. 'It would be almost impossible to pull both switches with a single movement of one hand and this makes accidental deployment unlikely,' a Canada-based air accidents investigator, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the BBC. The two switches were flipped one second apart, the report said – roughly the time it would take to shift one and then the other, added US aviation expert John Nance. The report highlights the chilling moment when one pilot discovers that either a catastrophic mistake, fault or deliberate act of sabotage has taken place. 'In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so.' In a sign of growing tensions, a pilots union said the 'tone and direction of the investigation suggested a bias toward pilot error'. Captain Sam Thomas, from the Airline Pilots' Association of India, said the organisation was 'surprised at the secrecy surrounding these investigations' and claimed 'suitably qualified personnel were not taken on board for the probe'. Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu urged the public to 'wait for the final report', adding: 'We care for the welfare and the well-being of pilots so let's not jump to any conclusions at this stage.' Imtiyaz Ali, whose brother, sister-in-law and their two children died in the crash, was disappointed by the findings. 'Other than the pilots' final conversation, there's nothing in it that really points to what caused the crash. We want to know exactly what happened. 'It won't change anything for us now, we continue grieving – just as we have since that day. But at least we'll have some answers.' Rafiq Dawood, whose son Faizan Rafiq, 25, died after moving to the UK five years ago, said: 'We don't know about the fuel switch or other technical details. The fact is that we have lost our son.' Deepti Sawhney, who lost three family members, told news channel NDTV: 'We must have a free, fair and transparent investigation. There are a lot of heavyweights involved – Air India, Boeing – who will want to save their skin. The families must get the truth.' Badasab Syed, 59, whose brother, sister-in-law and their two children died, said: 'The report mentions the pilots discussing who turned off fuel and a possible issue with the fuel control switch. We don't know what that means. Was it avoidable?' The report reveals that in the seconds before the crash, the pilots returned the fuel switches to 'run' and two systems tried to 'relight' both engines. But it was too late – 11 seconds before impact, one pilot transmitted: 'Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.' Using photographs and diagrams, the findings detail how the plane first hit trees and a chimney before smashing into the BJ Medical College hostel and five adjoining buildings just under a mile from the runway. The tail section and landing gear were found embedded in one building. The rest of the wreckage was spread over an area of 1,000ft by 400ft. Pilots Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, had clocked up 15,638 flying hours, while Clive Kunder, 32, had 3,403. Mr Kunder was flying the Dreamliner, while Mr Sabharwal was monitoring him – although it is unclear from the report who said what during the recording. A final report is due to be released next year. Boeing said: 'Our thoughts remain with the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected on the ground in Ahmedabad. We continue to support the investigation.'
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- General
- Yahoo
Air India crash report points to chip malfunction, says analyst
STORY: :: This video contains content some people may find distressing :: June 13, 2025 A preliminary report into last month's fatal Air India crash depicted confusion in the cockpit after the plane's engine fuel cutoff switches flipped almost simultaneously and starved the engines of fuel. :: June 12, 2025 The Boeing 787 Dreamliner began to lose thrust and sink shortly after takeoff. :: Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau The report from Indian accident investigators did not say how the switches could have flipped to the cutoff position during the flight. CHAN: "From reading the findings..." Former pilot and senior lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University Marco Chan says he believes it was a chip malfunction rather than human error that led to the crash. He points to a previously issued service bulletin from the engine manufacturer advising maintenance of a flawed chip to prevent signal loss. :: Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau 'I believe the FAA has - together with GE, General Electric, the engine manufacturer - has issued a service bulletin, i.e. I believe it was about 11,000 cycles, they will have to replace the chip. And if it is not replaced or maintenance isn't done correctly, it could lead to intermittent loss of signal. Once you have a loss of signal, the fuel isn't commanded i.e. in the cut off position, then there's no fuel going to the engine.' Chan says it would be a challenge for pilots to accidentally move the switches into the cutoff position. 'You have to physically sort of - not pull the pin - but if you have to pull the toggle out, then it can move to a different position. So, you do have to do it on purpose, not accidental knocking it to the wrong position. Very rarely that can happen, or close to zero.' :: June 12, 2025 At the crash site, both fuel switches were found in the run position and there had been indications of both engines relighting before the low-altitude crash, the report showed. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was bound for London from India's Ahmedabad. The crash killed 260 people, making it the world's deadliest aviation accident in a decade.
NDTV
an hour ago
- Automotive
- NDTV
Should Changing Switches Have Been A Must? On Air India Crash, Expert Says...
An advisory had been issued by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in 2018 about fuel cutoff switches moving without any force after they get worn out and, in hindsight, it would have been better if changing them had been made mandatory, a former director general of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has said. Speaking to NDTV on Saturday, Group Captain Aurobindo Handa (retired), former director general of the AAIB, also said that he was with the Air Force where no chances are taken on ejection seats and engines and, going by that, "a better application of mind" should have taken place. In its preliminary investigation report on the Air India Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, the AAIB noted that both engines of the plane had shut down mid-air within seconds of take-off and both fuel cutoff switches moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' position within a second of each other. This meant no fuel was reaching the engines, causing the plane to lose thrust. The report said that, in the cockpit voice recording, one pilot can be heard asking, "Why did you cut off?" and the other replies, "I did not". Group Captain Handa - who handled at least 100 such investigations, including the August 2020 crash of an Air India Express flight from Dubai to Kozhikode- said it is "extremely difficult" for both fuel cutoff switches to move together and then pointed to the 2018 advisory. "Way back in December 2018, there was an advisory issued by Boeing through the FAA that these gated switches get worn out over a period of time and they can move without any force. They had suggested that they should be checked and, in case they are worn out, they should be changed. But they recommended an on-condition change. On-condition means that if you see a worn-out valve, change it," he pointed out. "But what now, in hindsight, all of us are thinking is that it would have been better had they made it a mandatory change at that point in time... at the same time, there is a saying everyone is wise in hindsight. But, being from the Air Force, let me tell you one thing very clearly: On ejection seats and on engines, we do not take a chance. So, going by that, since this pertained to engine controls and flame-out in air, I think better application of mind should have taken place," the former AAIB chief said. He continued, "When this advisory was issued in the form of a bulletin, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation should have called the senior pilots operating the variants of Boeing and should have told them 'This bulletin has come, please apply your mind and tell us what we should do. So, automatically, there would have been a better collaborative decision... we would have arrived at a better decision." Transparency Group Captain Handa praised India's leadership, in civil aviation and otherwise, for coming out with the preliminary investigation report, saying it was important given how many lives were lost in the crash and because it will give grieving relatives some sense of what happened. The Air India Dreamliner 787-8 - operating as AI flight 171 to London, had crashed into a medical college's hostel in Ahmedabad on June 12, just 32 seconds after taking off. One passenger had miraculously survived, but all the other 241 people on board and at least 20 on the ground were killed. On whether the crash raises concerns about the accountability of the manufacturer, operator or regulatory bodies, the former AAIB chief said it is hard to say at this point because the investigation is only in its initial stages. "We should wait for at least four, five months because it is a long-drawn process... The evidence is comparatively low in this crash," he sai, urging everyone to refrain from speculation.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump names Sean Duffy as interim Nasa head after rejecting Elon Musk ally
Donald Trump has appointed his transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, as interim administrator of Nasa, six weeks after withdrawing the nomination of the Elon Musk ally and billionaire Jared Isaacman for the permanent role. The president announced the appointment on Truth Social on Wednesday evening, praising Duffy's work on transportation infrastructure and describing him as someone who would be 'a fantastic leader of the ever more important space agency, even if only for a short period of time'. Duffy, who will maintain his cabinet position while taking on Nasa duties, wrote on X: 'Honored to accept this mission. Time to take over space. Let's launch.' Isaacman, who has flown multiple missions with Musk's SpaceX, was widely viewed as Musk's pick to lead Nasa. But Trump withdrew that nomination in May, posting earlier this week that he was 'surprised to learn' Isaacman was a 'blue blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before'. The reversal follows an escalating beef between Trump and Musk and their respective camps, including a reportedly heated dust-up between Musk and Duffy at a White House meeting over cuts to FAA programs that support commercial spaceflight. The appointment comes as Nasa faces an existential crisis. The agency is hemorrhaging scientific talent amid Trump's proposed budget cuts that would slash the space science program from $7.33bn to $3.9bn annually. Under that proposal, Nasa's total budget would fall from $24.8bn to $18.8bn. About 900 Nasa employees departed in February, with another 1,500 signing up for voluntary separation programs through July, according to documents obtained by Politico. The exodus has prompted protests outside Nasa headquarters, with contractors and staff holding signs reading 'Save Nasa' last week. The Arizona senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly rhetorically asked what would have happened if this sort of mass departure happened during the cold war in the mid-20th century. 'We would've lost the space race to the Soviets,' he answered himself. 'And now we risk losing the next space race to China.' Seven former Nasa science chiefs have also written to Congress, agreeing that the cuts would hand China an advantage in space exploration. 'If the administration is committed to countering the growing Chinese capability in space, the US needs to continue its investment in US space science, not cede it unilaterally,' they wrote. Duffy, a former Republican congressman from Wisconsin who starred on MTV's The Real World in 1997, brings no space background to the role. His appointment is seen as a signal that Trump intends to push through his controversial budget cuts, which would terminate dozens of science missions including the Mars Odyssey spacecraft that has been studying the red planet since 2001. 'While Nasa's science missions have greatly expanded humanity's understanding of the Earth, solar system, and universe, the current expenditure of over $7bn per year on over 100 missions is unsustainable,' the administration's May budget request reads. Since taking office as transportation secretary in January, Duffy has focused on rolling back what he calls 'woke DEI policies' and Biden-era environmental regulations. His dual role overseeing both transportation and Nasa – agencies with combined budgets exceeding $30bn – tracks with Trump's thinking on mixing assignments, notably Marco Rubio as secretary of state and acting national security adviser. Janet Petro, director of Kennedy Space Center, had been serving as acting administrator since Trump's inauguration in January.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
FAA: Boeing 787 operators need not take further action
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a formal communication to other regulators stating that Boeing 787 operators need not take any further action following the preliminary assessment of the causes leading to the crash of an Air India aircraft last month. The report says that investigators are focusing primarily on turning on and off the fuel control switches by the pilots. It also mentions that the FAA had sent information bulletin in 2018 about the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature. Air India told investigators it did not carry out suggested inspections as they were "advisory and not mandatory". An advisory service bulletin by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bebe una taza cada mañana y descubre lo que pasa una semana después. Té mágico desintoxicante Undo Safety experts though said that it had no connection to the accident investigation. FAA's advisory, reviewed by ET, was issued following such issues on 737s, a smaller model of Boeing airplanes and was never reported in any 787. Air India also changed the switches when the airline had replaced the throttle control module twice in 2019 and 2023. In a modern generation jet like the Boeing 787, the thrust control module and the fuel control switches are physically integrated into the same quadrant unit and the replacing the module also involves replacing the fuel switches, an engineer who is certified for the aircraft said. AAIB also said that pilot have not reported any defect pertaining to the fuel control switch since 2023 on the aircraft. Live Events " In those six years, the aircraft underwent major maintenance checks during which it would have certainly come to the notice of the manufacturer or the operator if the locking mechanism was not functioning properly," said John Cox, chief executive of Safety Operating Systems, a firm which provides consulting services on accident investigations. The Boeing 787 are located below the thrust lever and have safeguards like metal lock and a guard built around them to avoid any accidental switching off. Such safeguards were built by aircraft manufacturers after multiple incidents involving unintentional fuel shutoff on older generation jets. Engineering records of the aircraft also showed no fault with any critical equipment, AAIB said. " All airworthiness directive and safety bulletins were compiled on the aircraft as well as engines," AAIB said.
