DGCA Orders Airlines To Inspect Fuel Switch Locking On All Boeing Planes

After the AAIB preliminary report of the Air India AI171 crash on June 12 in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad highlighted that the fuel control switches in the cockpit of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had been flipped, starving the engines of fuel,  the India’s civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Monday ordered airlines to inspect the fuel switch locking mechanisms on their Boeing 787 fleets.

In an order dated July 14, the DGCA asked all Indian airlines to complete the inspection as per the Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) Number: NM 18-33, dated December 17, 2018 before July 21, 2025.

In an order, the DGCA said, “Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) number NM-18-33 dated December 17, 2018 regarding the potential for disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature on Boeing Company Model 717-200 airplanes; Model 737-700, -700C, -800, and -900ER series airplanes, Model 737-8 and -9 airplanes; Model 747-400, -400D, -400F, 8, and-8F series airplanes; Model 757-200, -200CB, -200PF, and -300 series airplanes: Model 767-200, -300,300F, -400ER, and -2C series airplanes; Model 787-8, -9, and -10 airplanes; Model MD-11 and MD-11F airplanes; and Model MD-90-30 airplanes.”

The DGCA issues mandatory modifications for aircraft or engines or components registered in India based on the airworthiness directives issued by State of Design or Manufacture. 

“For other non-mandatory instructions including service bulletins, service letters and other information. such as SAIB issued by State of Design/Manufacture or OEM. CAR M- M.A. 301 Issue 2, R6, Dated 01 January 2024 contains requirements for action by the airline operators,” the DGCA said.

It also said that it has come to the notice of DGCA, that several operators-internationally as well as domestic have initiated inspection on their aircraft fleet as per the SAIB NM-18-33 dated December 17, 2018.

“In the view of above all airline operators of the affected aircraft are hereby advised to complete the inspection required under SAIB Number: NM-18-33, dated 17th December 2018, no later than 21st July 2025. Inspection plan and report after accomplishment of inspection shall be submitted to this office under intimation to concerned Regional Office,” it said.

It also said that strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations.

The DGCA order comes just two days after the AAIB on July 12, 2025 shared its preliminary report into the crash of Air India London Gatwick bound flight AI 171 which led to the death of around 260 people, including 241 onboard and 19 on the ground. 

According to the 15 page report prepared by India’s AAIB, the fuel control switches in the cockpit of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had been flipped, starving the engines of fuel.

Investigators at AAIB were able to get data out of the plane’s black box recorders, including 49 hours of flight data and two hours of cockpit audio, including from the crash.

The report highlighted: “The aircraft had reached an airspeed of 180 knots when both engines’ fuel cutoff switches were transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec.” 

In his message, Campbell said, “As you would have read, the AAIB’s Preliminary Report on the AI171 accident was released over the weekend. It came a month after the tragic event on 12 June, a period in which not a moment has gone by without us thinking of the passengers, friends, colleagues and wider community who were lost or injured.”

He said: “The release of the Preliminary Report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions.

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