Overview

• The DGCA has ordered all Indian operators of Boeing 787 and specified 737 models to inspect fuel control switch locking mechanisms and submit compliance reports by July 21
• India’s AAIB preliminary report ruled out mechanical or maintenance defects and pinpointed near-simultaneous cutoff of both engine fuel switches as the crash trigger
• Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and regulators in the UK and South Korea have launched parallel inspections of Boeing 787 fuel control switch locks
• A 2018 FAA advisory had recommended but not mandated checks on Boeing fuel switch locks, resulting in uneven operator follow-through until the DGCA directive
• Air India records show the crashed Dreamliner’s throttle control module was replaced in 2019 and 2023 for unrelated issues, and cockpit voice recordings revealed pilot confusion over the fuel cutoff