Air India Crash Probe Nears Preliminary Report on Fuel Switches

A preliminary report on the June crash of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which killed 241 people on board and others on the ground, is expected imminently, with investigators focusing on the plane's engine fuel control switches. Analysis of flight and voice data recorders, along with Boeing's simulations, suggests that movements of these fuel switches may have played a critical role in the crash, though it remains unclear if these actions were accidental, inadvertent, or intentional. No immediate mechanical failure has been identified, and no bulletins have been issued to airlines regarding 787 operations. Experts note that the switches are designed to resist accidental movement, and shutting them off would immediately cut engine power. The investigation is complicated by limited information availability, and the final report's release date and details remain uncertain. The crash has posed a major challenge to Tata Group's efforts to revamp Air India's reputation and highlights safety concerns in India's rapidly growing civil aviation sector.