No Defect Found in Air India Plane’s Fuel Control Switch, Government Says
New Delhi–Investigators have found no abnormality in the fuel control switch locking mechanism of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad last year, the government told Parliament on Wednesday.
The aircraft crashed about 35 seconds after departure on June 12, killing 260 people aboard the plane and on the ground.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha that a detailed examination of the fuel control switch, including the structural integrity of its locking detents, found no defect.
The switch was sent to the original equipment manufacturer for advanced testing as part of airworthiness checks ordered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
“Inspection of the complete Thrust Control Module at the OEM’s facility is underway,” Mohol said.
The fuel control switch has therefore been cleared of any apparent defect so far, but investigators are still examining the complete thrust control module at the manufacturer’s facility in Seattle.
Mohol also said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s final report on the crash has not been delayed. He said investigations into major aviation accidents are complex and do not follow a fixed timeline.
The inquiry into Air India Flight AI-171 is in its final stages, according to the government.
“All probable causes and contributing factors leading to the accident are being investigated,” Mohol said.
The government said the final report, including the investigation’s findings, will be released publicly and uploaded to the AAIB website once the inquiry is completed. (Source: IANS)
