Air India grounds Dreamliner after fuel control switch concern on London flight

Air India has grounded a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner after a pilot reported a possible defect in a fuel control switch following the aircraft’s arrival in Bengaluru from London, prompting renewed scrutiny of a component that has been under investigation since a fatal crash last year. 

The aircraft, registered VT-ANX, was operating as Air India Flight AI132 from London Heathrow to Bengaluru. It departed Heathrow at 19:19 local time on February 1, 2026, and landed in Bengaluru at 11:54 on Monday. According to airline sources, the issue was observed after landing and subsequently reported by the flight crew. 

In a statement, Air India said it had grounded the aircraft as a precaution and informed India’s aviation regulator.   “We are aware that one of our pilots has reported a possible defect on the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft,” the airline said. “After receiving this initial information, we have grounded the said aircraft and are involving the original equipment manufacturer to get the pilot’s concerns checked on a priority basis.” 

According to a statement from Safety Matters Foundation, the reported issue involved abnormal behavior of the left engine fuel control switch during engine start. The switch allegedly failed to remain locked in the RUN position on two attempts, moving toward CUTOFF. While the event occurred on the ground, the foundation said such behavior could, under certain conditions, increase the risk of an inadvertent engine shutdown in flight. 

The incident is drawing attention because of similarities to the previous Air India Dreamliner crash. In June 2025, a Boeing 787 registered VT-ANB crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad while operating as Flight AI171, killing 260 people. A preliminary investigation found that fuel supply to the engines had been cut off seconds after departure. Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot questioning why the fuel control switch had been moved to CUTOFF, with the other pilot responding that he had not done so. 

Following that crash, Air India said it conducted inspections of fuel control switches across its 787 fleet and found no issues. The airline reiterated that position on February 2, stating that fleet-wide checks had been completed earlier under the direction of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. 

Aviation safety groups have also pointed to earlier warnings issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. In 2018, the FAA issued a safety alert advising operators that certain fuel control switches, including those installed on Boeing 787 aircraft, could malfunction in a manner that increases the risk of unintended engine shutdown, recommending inspection and replacement where necessary. The post Air India grounds Dreamliner after fuel control switch concern on London flight appeared first on AeroTime.

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