A scary technical fault that caused a major Air India crash last year has appeared again on another flight. Flight AI-132, flying from London Heathrow to Bengaluru, reported an issue with its fuel control switch earlier this week. This is the same component that failed during the tragic AI-171 crash in June 2025. While the AI-171 incident resulted in 260 fatalities after engines lost fuel supply, the pilots of AI-132 managed to handle the situation carefully. They detected the problem while still on the ground in London and monitored it closely until landing safely in Bengaluru.
What exactly happened on the London-Bengaluru flight?
The trouble started when the pilots of AI-132 were starting the Boeing 787-8 aircraft (VT-ANX) at London Heathrow. During the engine start-up procedure, the pilot noticed that the left fuel control switch would not stay locked in the RUN position. It slipped back towards the CUTOFF position twice with just light pressure. If this switch moves to ‘CUTOFF’, the engine stops getting fuel.
The crew did not give up and managed to latch the switch correctly on the third attempt. Before taking off, they performed a physical check to confirm it was fully locked. Following safety manuals, the crew decided to fly but took extra precautions. They avoided touching the switch during the flight and kept a close watch on engine indicators. The plane landed safely in Bengaluru on February 2, preventing any mishap.
How is this linked to the AI-171 crash?
This incident has raised alarms because it mimics the primary fault behind the AI-171 crash in June 2025. That flight, traveling from Ahmedabad to London, crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff. Investigators found that the fuel switches on that plane moved to ‘CUTOFF’ right after liftoff, shutting down the engines. That crash claimed 260 lives and caused a financial loss of nearly $475 million.
Latest Actions Taken:
- Grounding: Air India grounded the aircraft (VT-ANX) immediately after it reached Bengaluru.
- DGCA Inspection: Aviation regulators checked the switch and found that pressing it from a wrong angle allows it to slip.
- Testing: The specific part, made by Honeywell, is being sent back to the manufacturer for testing. It had only used 20% of its total lifespan.
- New Orders: Pilots have been instructed to follow Boeing’s official handling procedures strictly to avoid accidental slips.