Air India grounds Boeing Dreamliner due to possible fuel switch defect

?(Image from Aerotime)An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner (Flight AI132) was grounded after a pilot reported a possible defect in the plane's fuel control switch. During the flight from the London Heathrow airport to Bengaluru, the crew reported the left engine fuel control switch failed to remain locked in the RUN position and moved toward CUTOFF two times, according to Safety Matter Foundations. This defect could cause the engine of the jet to shutdown midflight. The aircraft was able to land at the airport and the pilot reported the defect to the airline. Air India immediately took the aircraft out of service following the report, according to News18. "We are aware that one of our pilots has reported a possible defect on the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft," said Air India in a statement. "After receiving this initial information, we have grounded the aircraft and are involving the OEM to get the pilot's concerns checked on a priority basis. The matter has been communicated to the aviation regulator, DGCA. Air India had checked the fuel control switches on all Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet after a directive from the DGCA, and had found no issues. At Air India, the safety of our passengers and crew remains top priority." The defect has been compared to the crash that happened on June 12, 2025 in Ahmedabad, India. A Dreamliner acting as Air India Flight B787 crashed into a building shortly after takeoff and killed 260 people. The preliminary report stated that after takeoff, closed-circuit TV footage showed the ram turbine had been deployed, meaning a loss of engine power. One pilot is recorded asking why the other cut off fuel and the other pilot responded he did not do so. It was not reported which statement was made by the flight's captain and the first officer or who transmitted mayday before the crash. The FAA issued a safety alert in 2018 that certain fuel switches, like the one on the Boeing 787, could malfunction in a way that increased the risk of engine shutdown and recommended inspection and replacement of the switches, according to Aerotime. After the crash, Air India claimed to have inspected its fuel switches and found no issues. The company then stated on Feb. 2 that it had completed fleet-wide checks under the direction of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. RELATED STORIES: Preliminary report states the fuel was cut from engines before Air India crash Air India will return international flight operations after safety pause Latest on Air India Dreamliner crash, sole survivor speaks "What makes this event deeply troubling is not only that it happened, but that it occurred after Air India publicly stated it had conducted precautionary checks across its 787 fleet and found no issues," said Capt. Amit Singh, Founder of Safety Matters Foundation. "This discrepancy raises urgent questions: Were the checks thorough? Is this a new, recurring defect? Passengers and crews deserve unambiguous answers."