FAA and Boeing Verify Fuel Switch Safety Amid Probe

In a recent statement, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and aircraft manufacturer Boeing have confirmed the safety of fuel switch locks on their planes. This comes in response to a preliminary report analyzing last month's Boeing 787-8 crash that resulted in the loss of 260 lives.

The FAA, through a Continued Airworthiness Notification, clarified that similarities in the fuel control switch design across various Boeing models do not present any unsafe conditions warranting an Airworthiness Directive. Boeing echoed this position through a message to airlines, recommending no further action.

The accident investigation by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau references a 2018 advisory urging inspection of the fuel cutoff switches, although it was not mandatory. ALPA India, a pilots' association, has called for a fair, fact-based inquiry, dismissing assumptions of pilot error.

(With inputs from agencies.)