UK CAA Warned of Boeing Fuel‑Switch Risk Weeks Before Deadly Air India Crash
Four weeks ahead of the fatal June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI 171—a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that lost both engines due to fuel cutoff and crashed near Ahmedabad, killing 260—Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority issued a May 15 safety directive. It alerted operators of Boeing models (including the 787) to inspect fuel shut‑off valve actuators following a 2018 FAA advisory. The preliminary investigation found both fuel switches shifted from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” shortly after takeoff, though whether due to pilot action, switch design flaw, or software error remains under scrutiny.