The reply came in response to a question seeking the reasons for the delay in publication of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) final report
| Photo Credit:
New Delhi, July 29 : Inspection of the thrust control module by India’s civil aviation safety regulator at the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) facility is continuing even as detailed examination of the fuel control switch locking mechanism found no abnormality, the Centre informed Parliament.Notably, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) OEM-level testing of the fuel control switch locking mechanism was ordered as part of continued airworthiness measures following the February 2026 grounding of Air India Boeing 787 aircraft in Ahmedabad, which led to 260 deaths.In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said structural integrity checks of the fuel control switch detents carried out at the OEM facility in Seattle did not reveal any abnormalities, while further inspection of the complete thrust control module is underway.Final ReportThe reply came in response to a question seeking the reasons for the delay in publication of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) final report on the AI-171 crash, whether pilot conduct was among the causes being examined, and the outcome of the DGCA’s OEM-level testing of the fuel control switch locking mechanism.On the status of the investigation, Mohol said there was “no delay” in the probe, adding that the timeline for a major accident investigation cannot be predicted as it depends on several factors and is an evolving process involving multiple variables.“The investigation is under progress. All probable causes and contributing factors leading to the accident are being investigated,” the minister said.Responding to a question relating to reports on pilot conduct, the minister reiterated that the investigation was under progress and that all probable causes and contributing factors leading to the accident were being investigated.Website DetailsHe also said the final investigation report, including all the findings, will be made public and published on the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s website after completion of the investigation.Last month, businessline had first reported that a DGCA team had visited one of Boeing’s facilities in the United States to inspect the fuel control switch system installed on an Air India Boeing 787 aircraft as part of the regulator’s continued airworthiness assessment. The report had said detailed analytical results relating to tests on the spring tension of the switch were awaited from the OEM.Published on July 29, 2026
