The shift of the fuel control switch behind the accident of Air India aircraft (AI 171) is believed to be a possible reason, but the initial investigation report pointed to a major issue, which was flagged out by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Boeing 737 jets in 2018 itself.
In December 2018, the US aviation regulator released a special airwriting information bulletin (SAIB), stating that some Boeing 737 aircraft were installed in a fuel control switch locking feature in 737 aircraft. Since it was just a advice, it was not considered an unprotected situation.
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Roll of fuel switches
These switches regulate fuel flows in the engines of the aircraft. Pilots use them to start or close the engine on the ground. These are also used to turn off the engine or start the engine when the engine failure in the midere.
In the case of the unfortunate flight accident in Ahmedabad, the report said that the fuel control switches of the aircraft shifted to “Run” to “Cutoff” position within each other three seconds after the lift-off. However, it is not clear whether it happened by mistake or intentionally.
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Expert views
Sant Kaul, former Joint Secretary of the Civil Aviation Ministry (MOCA), suggested that the pilots could not be blamed, as they were very experienced. Kaul told India Today that we cannot blame the pilots, which were very experienced. So, there was some serious mistake in the system provided by Boeing that fuel tanks switched off. We will be able to know only when there is a thorough investigation.
Pilots and systems
Pilots, who were very experienced, cannot be blamed. Commanding pilot Sumit Sabharwal had a 15,638 -hour flight experience. His co-pilot Clive Kandar had 3,403 hours of experience. Experts believe that the problem was in the system provided by Boeing, which could switch off fuel tanks.
Former AAIB officer captain Kishore anxiety questioned whether the switches could be triggered due to the problem of electronic control unit of the aircraft. If this happens, it is a matter of concern.
Accident
The Air India flight left for London crashed into a medical college hostel soon after the takeoff from Ahmedabad on 12 June. Out of 242 people aboard the aircraft, only one person survived. 19 people died on the ground.
This accident shows how important small things are in aviation security. Ignoring FAA’s advice was overshadowed by Air India. It is expected that after a thorough investigation, the cause of this accident will be clarified. Steps will be taken to prevent such incidents in future.
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