Air India’s London-Bengaluru flight halted after fuel switch malfunction

New Delhi/London (The Uttam Hindu): Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft has once again come into the news for safety reasons. There was a stir after a serious technical fault was detected in the fuel switch on a flight coming from London to Bengaluru, due to which the flight of the aircraft was immediately stopped. Considering the seriousness of the matter, the airline immediately informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Taking a strict stand, DGCA directed to check the fuel switches of all the aircraft of this model included in Air India's fleet. It is a matter of relief that the fleet-wide check done by the airline did not find any fault in the remaining aircraft.

There was a danger of the engine shutting down, the switch was not turning on

The Safety Matters Foundation shared detailed information about this incident on social media. According to the report, the flight crew noticed unusual activity in the fuel control switch of the left engine. During the engine start process, the fuel control switch repeatedly changed its position. Instead of locking in the "on" position, it repeatedly shifted to "cut off." According to aviation experts, this is a very serious situation. If the switch had automatically cut off during flight, the engine could have shut down mid-air, posing a significant risk of a major accident. Anticipating this danger, the decision was made to cancel the flight.

Airlines on alert after Ahmedabad accident

Air India issued an official statement stating that the aircraft was grounded as soon as the pilot reported a possible malfunction in the fuel control switch and that the matter is being investigated with the assistance of the OEM. The airline has complied with DGCA directives, stating that passenger and crew safety is paramount. It's worth noting that this incident comes just months after an Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London crashed, tragically killing 260 people. Similar technical issues were a topic of discussion during the investigation into that accident, which is why the administration and the airline are reluctant to take any risks this time.