New Delhi: Air India on Monday grounded one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners (VT-ANX) after the pilot reported a possible defect in the locking mechanism of the fuel control switch following a flight from London to Bengaluru. The aircraft had departed Heathrow on Sunday at 9:19 pm and landed in Bengaluru on Monday at 11:54 am local time.

According to the Safety Matters Foundation, the left engine fuel control switch failed to remain locked in the RUN position during engine start, moving toward CUTOFF on two attempts. A malfunction of this kind could, under specific conditions, lead to an inadvertent engine shutdown in flight.

Air India said the aircraft was immediately grounded and the manufacturer Boeing has been involved to check the issue. The airline emphasized that safety remains its top priority and the matter has been reported to the DGCA. The airline had previously checked all 787s in its fleet after a DGCA directive and found no issues.

Aviation safety experts have expressed concern, noting that this incident mirrors a known risk previously highlighted by the FAA in 2018. The issue gained prominence after the June 2025 crash of AI 171 in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people due to fuel supply disruption caused by the switch moving from RUN to CUTOFF.

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