Fuel Control Switch Cleared as Air India Dreamliner Crash Probe Enters Final Phase

New Delhi, July 2026 : The government on Wednesday informed Parliament that investigators have found no abnormality in the fuel control switch locking mechanism of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed just 35 seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12 last year, killing 260 people, including passengers, crew members and people on the ground.

The clarification came amid the ongoing investigation into one of India’s worst aviation disasters in recent years. Authorities said the fuel control switch underwent advanced technical examination by the aircraft’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), and no defect was detected during the tests.

Replying to questions in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had ordered detailed inspections of the aircraft’s thrust control system as part of continuing airworthiness checks after the Boeing 787 fleet was temporarily grounded in February this year.

According to the minister, investigators carried out an extensive examination of the fuel control switch, including its locking mechanism and structural integrity. The assessment confirmed that the switch functioned normally and showed no signs of mechanical failure or manufacturing defects.

While the fuel control switch has been cleared, officials said the investigation has now shifted focus to the aircraft’s complete Thrust Control Module (TCM), which has been sent to the OEM’s facility in Seattle for advanced forensic analysis.

“Inspection of the complete Thrust Control Module at the OEM’s facility is underway,” Mohol told the House, adding that the findings from this examination will play a crucial role in determining the sequence of events that led to the crash.

The government also addressed concerns regarding the timeline of the investigation. It rejected suggestions that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had delayed its final report, stating that investigations into major aviation accidents do not follow fixed deadlines and depend entirely on the complexity of technical findings.

The minister said the inquiry is progressing according to internationally accepted investigative procedures and has now entered its final phase. Investigators are continuing to examine every possible factor that may have contributed to the accident before arriving at definitive conclusions.

“All probable causes and contributing factors leading to the accident are being investigated,” Mohol informed Parliament, reiterating that the probe is comprehensive and evidence-based.

Officials stressed that no conclusions would be drawn until every technical aspect of the aircraft, including flight systems, engine controls and operational parameters, has been thoroughly examined.

The government assured Parliament that once the investigation is completed, the AAIB’s final report will be made public in the interest of transparency. The report, containing the investigation’s findings, analysis and recommendations, will be uploaded on the AAIB’s official website.

The final report is expected to provide a comprehensive account of the circumstances surrounding the tragic crash and may include safety recommendations aimed at preventing similar accidents in the future.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)