India’s Aviation Regulator to Oversee Boeing Fuel-Switch Testing in Seattle Following Air India Incident

Indian air safety officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are scheduled to travel to Seattle in June to oversee Boeing’s laboratory testing of a Dreamliner fuel-control switch panel. The component was removed from an Air India 787 in February after pilots on a London-to-Bengaluru flight reported that the switches failed to remain fixed in the “run” position during their first two pre-takeoff attempts. Although Boeing and the DGCA initially found the module to be “serviceable” and fully functional, the Indian regulator has labeled the upcoming evaluation as “sensitive” and mandated the presence of its officials to ensure a thorough investigation.

The heightened scrutiny surrounding the locking mechanism of these switches stems from a June 2025 Air India 787 crash in Gujarat that killed 260 people. A preliminary report into that crash—the world’s deadliest aviation accident in a decade—revealed that the engines were starved of fuel after the switches were shut off nearly simultaneously. While the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) previously indicated that the fatal crash did not appear to be caused by a mechanical failure, Indian authorities want to definitively test whether external pressure applied at specific angles could inadvertently move the switches when they are supposed to be locked.

Air India, owned by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, is funding the trip for two DGCA officials as a measure of abundant caution to guarantee a conclusive evaluation in a controlled environment. The testing coincides with the upcoming anniversary of the Gujarat crash and the fast-approaching deadline for India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau to release its final report. Meanwhile, the UK Civil Aviation Authority is continuing its own review of the February incident, specifically looking into why the flight crew proceeded with the takeoff and delayed reporting the issue until landing.