Dreamliners' dilemma: DGCA wants to check airworthiness

The investigation into the Air India-171 (a B787-8 Dreamliner) air crash on 12 June 2025 in Ahmedabad is in its final stages, and the report is expected to be released soon, says Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Union minister for civil aviation. The crash left 260 people (including those on the ground) dead and was one of the most tragic aviation disasters in recent times. The last words of the pilot and co-pilot were about the fuel switch slipping from ‘Run’ to ‘Cut-off’ – starving the engine of fuel.

A year into the incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulator, has asked Boeing, the American manufacturer, to conduct a detailed inspection and test of its fuel control switches at its facility in Seattle, which will be overseen by DGCA officials.

“This directive comes after an incident was reported about fuel switches in February this year,” affirms the ministry of civil aviation (MOCA). “It may be recalled that a B787-8 aircraft (London-Delhi) was grounded, based on an entry made in the Pilot Defect Report, stating that the left fuel control switch (FCS) had slipped from `Run’ to `Cut-off’ when pushed slightly and did not lock positively in its selected position”.

Based on the recommendations received from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM Boeing), Air India carried out an inspection and functional testing of the FCS in accordance with the OEM’s prescribed procedures in the presence of DGCA officers. “Based on a review of the inspection results and evidence provided, the OEM has concluded that the FCS was mechanically functioning as designed and considered the unit serviceable,” says MOCA. “As a part of continued airworthiness of the involved FCS, DGCA has asked for the presence of DGCA officials during inspection at the Boeing facility in Seattle”.

During the incident in London in February, the pilots had observed that, after the engine started, the fuel switches did not remain `fixed’ in the `run’ position in their first two attempts, but stabilised on the third, during the take-off, as DGCA had pointed out earlier. Sources say that Boeing has been given a two-month timeframe to conduct all the checks.

At present, there are 26 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners in India – all operated by Air India. Globally, there are some 399 Dreamliners flown across the world by various airlines (including All Nippon, Japan Airlines and American Airlines).

Safe and reliable?

It may be recalled that, until the air crash on 12 June in Ahmedabad, the Dreamliners were considered safe and reliable. Before the crash, the aircraft had carried over a billion passengers and logged millions of flight hours without any accident.

In 2013, the entire 787 fleet was temporarily grounded due to battery overheating incidents. Boeing redesigned the lithium-ion battery containment systems and the aircraft flew safely after that. Nearly 200 Boeing aircraft are operating in India at present, including 145 Boeing 737 MAX, 29 Boeing 777 and 35 787 Dreamliners. The key operators are Air India (61), Air India Express (74), Akasa Air (29) and SpiceJet (30). Air India has placed a total firm order for 250 Boeing aircraft (including 737 MAX).

It may be recalled that, earlier too, some safety challenges were experienced with Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. In 2018-19, two B 737-MAX 8 aircraft had crashed (Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302), killing 346 people. The crashes were tied to a flawed flight control system, known as the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which repeatedly pushed the planes’ noses down due to faulty sensor data. Allegations levelled against Boeing suggested that the company had deliberately concealed the system’s existence from the pilots and regulators to avoid expensive simulator training. Boeing was charged with fraud for misleading the FAA and fined millions of dollars. The aircraft were subsequently redesigned and upgraded with an additional sensor.

Indian carriers now operate a total of 145 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft – Air India Express (74), SpiceJet (30), Akasa Air (29) and IndiGo (12 on lease). While Indian carriers have faced no issues while flying 737 MAX aircraft after the upgrade, the fuel switch issues with the Dreamliners need to be resolved at the earliest to ensure safety for all passengers flying these aircraft.