Britain’s aviation regulator has sought a detailed explanation from Air India after a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner departed London with a potentially faulty fuel control switch and was grounded upon arrival in India. According to reports, an Air India pilot noticed the issue on February 2 after completing Flight AI132.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has asked the airline to submit a comprehensive report outlining all maintenance work performed before the aircraft was cleared for flight. The regulator has warned that failure to provide a complete and timely response could result in enforcement action affecting parts of Air India’s fleet.
Indian aviation authorities said the issue was first detected during engine start procedures in London when the fuel control switch failed to stay in the “run” position twice before stabilising on a third attempt. The flight crew proceeded with the journey, but the aircraft was later withdrawn from service for inspection in Bengaluru.
Air India stated that it re-inspected the fuel switches as a precaution and found no defects. The matter has drawn heightened scrutiny as fuel control switches were linked to a deadly Air India Dreamliner crash last year in Gujarat. The CAA has also demanded a root-cause analysis and a preventive action plan for Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet.
