Families Of Air India Crash Victims Sue Boeing, Honeywell Over Fuel Switch Fault Claims

New Delhi: Grieving families of four passengers who died in the June 12 Air India crash have filed a lawsuit in a US court against Boeing and Honeywell, alleging that faulty fuel cutoff switches caused the disaster.

The case, filed in Delaware Superior Court, is believed to be the first US lawsuit related to the crash of Flight 171, which killed 260 people, including 229 passengers and 12 crew members.

The flight, bound for London from Ahmedabad, crashed seconds after take-off. The families of Kantaben Dhirubhai Paghadal, Naavya Chirag Paghadal, Kuberbhai Patel and Babiben Patel are seeking unspecified damages, as per reports.

Lawsuit Cites FAA Advisory

The lawsuit claims that the switches made by Honeywell were designed in a way that made accidental activation possible during routine cockpit activity. It cites a 2018 advisory from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which recommended, but did not mandate, operators of certain Boeing models, including the 787, inspect the locking mechanisms on the fuel cutoff switches.

According to a report by Reuters, the families argue the placement of the switches in the cockpit “effectively guaranteed” they could be triggered inadvertently. While the FAA has said the switches do not appear to have caused the crash, the plaintiffs argue that Boeing and Honeywell share responsibility.

A cockpit voice recording cited in media reports suggests that the captain may have cut fuel flow to the engines, although aviation safety experts told Reuters the switches could not be flipped accidentally, given their design and location.

AAIB Report Flags Missed Inspections, Recent Replacements

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in its preliminary report noted that Air India had not carried out the FAA-recommended inspections on the aircraft. Maintenance records showed that the throttle control module, which houses the fuel switches, was replaced in 2019 and again in 2023.

The report also revealed that all airworthiness directives and service bulletins applicable to the aircraft and its engines had been complied with. A final investigation report is still awaited.