The “incorrect direction” twist to the Air India fuel switch concern is added by the DGCA reply.

The aviation authority stated in a reply on Tuesday that Air India has ruled out any issue with the fuel switches of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that was grounded after a pilot reported a problem during a trip from London to Bengaluru (AI-132). Although the DGCA statement did not mention the cause of the aircraft’s grounding, it implied that the switch might have changed from “run” to “cutoff” if an external force had been applied in the wrong direction. The incident happened on flight AI-132 before to its February 1 departure for Bengaluru from London’s Heathrow airport. The Air India crew reported that the left engine fuel control switch was acting strangely, according to a press release that went viral on social media.

According to the statement, during pre-flight testing, the switch shifted toward “cutoff” after failing to stay locked in the “run” position on two separate occasions. In essence, these switches regulate the fuel supply to the aircraft’s engines. An engine shutdown during flight could result from such a problem. After landing in Bangalore, the plane was grounded. The development coincides with increased examination of Boeing 787 aircraft’s fuel control switches following the 269-person Air India (AI 171) tragedy in Ahmedabad last June.

According to a statement from the DGCA, neither the engine start nor the flight showed any unusual engine data. The fuel control switches were also inspected by Air India’s engineering department.

“Both left and right switches were checked and found satisfactory, with the locking tooth/pawl fully seated and not slipping from run to cutoff. When full force was applied parallel to the base plate, the switch remained secure,” the DGCA statement said.

“However, applying external force in an incorrect direction caused the switch to move easily from run to cutoff, due to the angular base plate allowing slip when pressed improperly with finger or thumb,” it further said.

The DGCA said the Air India crew was briefed on the observation and asked to avoid unnecessary contact with the switch.

“Engine indications and alerting systems were closely monitored by the crew for the remainder of the flight. The flight was completed without incident,” the DGCA said.

The aviation regulator said the pull-to-unlock force of the fuel control switch was checked using Boeing’s recommended procedure. “In all cases, the pull-to-unlock force was found within limits. These inspections were carried out in the presence of DGCA officers,” the statement further said.