On Feb 1st, 2026, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, registration VT-ANX, operating flight AI-132 from London Heathrow, UK, to Bangalore, India, experienced an unusual and closely scrutinized anomaly during engine start preparations that has since drawn industry-wide attention.
As the crew prepared the aircraft for departure at Heathrow and initiated engine start, both fuel control levers were moved to the RUN position and initially remained there. During a routine recheck, however, the crew lightly touched the switches, at which point the left-hand fuel control lever abruptly jumped back to the CUTOFF position. The crew reset the lever to RUN, but upon a second tactile recheck, the lever again moved uncommandedly to CUTOFF. On a third attempt, the switch remained in RUN and was verified by the crew as positively latched.
With the lever appearing stable, the aircraft departed Heathrow with a delay of approximately 35 minutes and continued to Bangalore without further incident, landing safely. Following arrival on Feb 2nd, 2026, a post-flight assessment determined that the left fuel control switch could move without any locking resistance, prompting further internal reporting.
Air India acknowledged the issue in a statement, saying:
“We are aware that one of our pilots has reported a possible defect on the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft. After receiving this initial information, we have grounded the said aircraft and are involving the OEM to get the pilot’s concerns checked on a priority basis. The matter has been communicated to the aviation regulator, DGCA. Air India had checked the fuel control switches on all Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet after a directive from the DGCA, and had found no issues. At Air India, the safety of our passengers and crew remains top priority.”
The incident prompted a response from the Safety Matters Foundation, which highlighted the broader context surrounding the event. In a press release, the Foundation stated:
“The Foundation notes that this incident comes against the backdrop of the ongoing investigation into the tragic loss of Air India Flight AI171 on 12 June 2025, which also involved a Boeing 787. While no connection is implied, the repeated emergence of issues with a critical flight control system on the same aircraft type demands the highest level of scrutiny.”
When asked why the aircraft was allowed to depart despite the anomaly, the Foundation added pointedly:
“The issue is, there is no guidance.”
On Feb 3rd, 2026, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) escalated the matter further, calling for urgent inspections of the electrical systems on all Boeing 787 aircraft. The FIP reiterated that it had repeatedly warned authorities following the AI-171 crash that electrical malfunctions could affect fuel control systems, including the Thrust Control Malfunction Accommodation (TCMA) logic. The organization referenced ANA flight NH-985, an incident in Osaka on Jan 17th, 2019, in which both engines rolled back after landing, and also pointed to known concerns regarding water seepage into the 787’s main electronic bay. The FIP cited a June 12th, 2025 Air India flight from Vienna to Delhi, which was declared AOG after flooding was discovered in the electrical bay, leading to immediate passenger deplaning.
India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, released its findings later on Feb 3rd, 2026, confirming that the flight crew had observed on two occasions that the fuel control switch did not remain positively latched in the RUN position when light pressure was applied. On the third attempt, the switch latched correctly and remained stable, having been physically verified by the crew. A post-flight inspection carried out in accordance with Boeing procedures did not identify any defect, and the switches were deemed serviceable. The DGCA noted that, by design, the switch can move if pressed incorrectly, which does not in itself indicate a fault, and advised Air India to circulate Boeing’s standard operating procedures regarding fuel cut-off switch handling to flight crews.
The relevant TechLog entry recorded the repeated uncommanded movement of the left fuel control switch during engine start and the crew’s verification of positive latching prior to departure.
While the flight itself concluded uneventfully, the incident has reignited debate over design tolerances, tactile verification practices, and the absence of explicit operational guidance when critical engine controls behave unexpectedly on the ground—issues now firmly back in the aviation safety spotlight.
