DGCA Dismisses Viral Claims, Says Boeing's AI132 Fuel Switch Within Limits

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said there was no malfunction of the fuel cut-off switch on Air India’s Boeing 787-8 aircraft operating flight AI132 from London to Bengaluru on February

1, 2026.In a note issued on the matter, the DGCA said that during engine start in London, the operating crew observed on two occasions that the fuel control switch did not remain positively latched in the “RUN” position when light vertical pressure was applied. On the third attempt, the switch latched correctly and remained stable.Before continuing with the procedure, the crew carried out a physical verification to confirm that the switch was fully and positively latched in the “RUN” position. The DGCA noted that no abnormal engine parameters, cautions, warnings or related system messages were observed during engine start or at any time thereafter. The flight was completed without incident.

After landing in Bengaluru, the crew reported the observation in the post-flight defect report, following which Air India referred the matter to Boeing for further guidance. Based on Boeing-recommended checks to establish serviceability, Air India engineering teams examined the fuel control switches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKgZJKC0q7I

“Both left and right switches were checked and found satisfactory, with the locking tooth/pawl fully seated and not slipping from RUN to CUTOFF. When full force was applied parallel to the base plate, the switch remained secure. However, applying external force in an incorrect direction caused the switch to move easily from RUN to CUTOFF, due to the angular base plate allowing slip when pressed improperly with finger or thumb," the note read.The DGCA said additional pull-to-unlock force checks were carried out using the recommended procedure on the concerned fuel cut-off switch, the fuel control unit to be installed and the fuel cut-off switch of another aircraft. In all cases, the pull-to-unlock force was found to be within limits. These inspections were conducted in the presence of DGCA officers.The regulator also analysed a video circulating on social media in light of Boeing-recommended procedures and observed that the procedure demonstrated in the video was incorrect. The airline has been advised to circulate Boeing’s recommended operating procedure for the fuel cut-off switch among its crew members. Air India Checks Fuel Control Switches on Boeing 787 Plane Air India has started precautionary inspections of fuel control switches across its Boeing 787 fleet after a switch-related defect was reported on an aircraft that operated a flight from London Heathrow to Bengaluru, sources said.The airline currently operates 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. These include 26 Boeing 787-8 aircraft and seven Boeing 787-9 planes, of which six were inducted from Vistara and one custom-configured aircraft joined the fleet in January.

What Happened in the Boeing Flight?

On Monday, an Air India pilot reported a defect related to the fuel control switch on a Boeing 787-8 aircraft after operating a flight from London Heathrow to Bengaluru. The airline subsequently grounded the aircraft for checks. The flight departed London on Sunday and landed in Bengaluru on Monday morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzAcvCPUrJ8

Air India had carried out inspections of fuel control switches last year as well, following the fatal crash of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people.The functioning of the fuel control switch has come under renewed focus after the preliminary probe report into the crash mentioned that fuel supply to the engines was cut off shortly after take-off.