After Etihad Airlines’ directive to its pilots, South Korea is all set to issue a directive to all its airlines flying Boeing jets, asking them to inspect their fuel control switches—an extra layer of caution sparked by growing global concern.
The wave of Boeing fuel switch checks comes after India’s civil aviation watchdog DGCA, on Monday, ordered airlines to check fuel switch locking system in Boeing 787, 737 planes in the aftermath of the deadly Air India plane crash that killed 241 passengers on board.
Etihad Airlines had already issued a directive to its pilots, asking them to “exercise caution” while operating the fuel control switches on Boeing 787 aircraft.
Boeing fuel switch locks under scrutiny
South Korean transport ministry spokesperson said the checks were in line with a 2018 advisory from the FAA, but did not give a timeline for them, reported Reuters.
Fuel switch locks have come under the scanner after a 2018 advisory from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) figured in the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)’s preliminary investigation report Air India’s Boeing 787-8 crash, which was released on Saturday, July 12.
The report said that the fuel switches of both the Air India flight’s engines were cut off seconds before it crashed while ascending from Ahmedabad.
What FAA 2018 advisory said
In its 2018 advisory, the FAA had not mandated, but recommended operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking feature of the fuel cutoff switches to ensure they could not be moved accidentally.
On Sunday, July 13, Boeing and the FAA had privately issued notifications to airlines and regulators that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes were safe and checks were not required, reported Reuters.
Air India checks fuel switch locks
Over the weekend, Air India Group launched a fleet-wide inspection of the fuel switch locking mechanisms on its Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft, following safety concerns flagged in a recent crash investigation, a source told Reuters.
According to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, about half of the airline’s 787 Dreamliners and nearly all of its 737s have already been examined. The inspections are expected to be completed within the next day or two, and no issues have been found so far.
In an internal memo on Monday, airline CEO Campbell Wilson said the investigation into the crash was far from over and it was unwise to jump to premature conclusions, following the release of the preliminary report.
The Air India preliminary report said the airline had not carried out the FAA’s suggested inspections as the FAA’s 2018 advisory was not a mandate.
But it also said maintenance records showed that the throttle control module, which includes the fuel switches, was replaced in 2019 and 2023 on the plane involved in the crash.