FAA, Boeing Say Fuel Switch Locks On 787 Dreamliner Are Safe Amid Air India Crash Probe

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing Co. BA have both said that the fuel switch locks on the 787-Dreamliner aircraft are safe in the aftermath of the Air India crash in India’s Ahmedabad in Gujarat state last month.

What Happened: The FAA, as well as the aircraft manufacturer, released private documents claiming the fuel switch locks are safe, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

"Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition," the regulator said in a statement in the notification.

FAA also added that the fuel switch locks do not "warrant an Airworthiness Directive" on Boeing aircraft, including the 787, the report suggests.

Talk of the fuel switch locks began when India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau referred to a 2018 notification by the FAA to check the fuel lock switch on Boeing aircraft, which Air India did not undertake as it wasn't mandatory.

Why It Matters: The news comes as preliminary reports suggest that the fuel supply was abruptly cut off to the engines moments after takeoff and could be a contributing factor to the air crash.

India's investigation of the accident was also under scrutiny as the country denied a UN aviation investigator from joining the probe. The investigator, who was in the country, was denied an "observer status" by the government.

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Bryan Bedford, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the FAA, was confirmed by the Senate to lead the agency. However, the move has been criticized by Democrats and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who accused Bedford of prioritizing profits over passenger safety.