Air India on Wednesday said it has completed precautionary checks of the fuel control switches in its operational Boeing 787 (Dreamliner) aircraft and no technical flaw was found during the check.
The investigation was conducted after a fuel control switch malfunction on a flight from London Heathrow to Bangalore on Sunday. As a precautionary measure, the airline got its entire 787 fleet tested. Air India currently has a total of 33 Boeing 787 aircraft, of which 28 aircraft are in operation. The airline said that after inspection of all operational aircraft, no concerns regarding flight safety have emerged.
Air India said in a statement that the investigation was conducted out of extra caution following an observation recorded by a pilot. The airline also said it appreciated the independent investigation conducted by the regulatory body and the subsequent clearing of the FCS.
What was the matter?
On Monday, an Air India pilot reported a malfunction in the fuel control switch of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft after operating a flight from London Heathrow to Bangalore. After this the aircraft was grounded for investigation. There were more than 200 passengers on board the flight in question, which landed in Bengaluru on Monday morning.
Air India also said that it will disseminate to all crew members the procedures suggested by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) related to operation of FCS as per the regulator’s instructions and ensure strict adherence to the same.
What was the problem with the fuel control switch?
According to DGCA, while starting the engine at London Heathrow Airport on February 1, the fuel control switch of the left engine did not lock properly in the run position twice. The switch locked properly on the third try. The crew then physically checked the switch to ensure it was fully stable in the run position before continuing further. Only after this the flight was proceeded further.
What came to light in DGCA’s initial investigation?
DGCA’s initial investigation on Tuesday found that proper procedure was apparently not followed during the operation of the fuel control switch. The airline was then directed to ensure that the crew followed the prescribed procedures properly.
It is worth noting that the functioning of the fuel control switch has been in the news recently, as the preliminary investigation report into the Air India Boeing 787-8 plane crash in June last year had mentioned the fuel supply being cut off immediately after take-off, in which 260 people had died.
