FAA’s Bedford Rules Out Mechanical Problem With Fuel Switches in Air India Crash

Controls have emerged as a major focus of the Indian government’s investigation.

Zach Vasile

Friday, July 25, 2025 at 01:40 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Air India Boeing 787-8 [Credit: Shutterstock/Soos Jozsef]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA Administrator, Bryan Bedford, has stated with high confidence that a mechanical problem with the Boeing fuel control unit does not appear to be the cause of the fatal Air India Flight 171 crash.
This statement contradicts the Indian investigation's preliminary report, which found the aircraft's fuel control switches were moved to the "Cutoff" position, leading to engine shutdown.
The FAA clarified that its 2018 advisory regarding fuel switch locking mechanisms did not imply the devices were unsafe, and Air India has since inspected its 787 and 777 fleets, finding no issues.

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FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said Thursday that the June crash of an Air India flight that killed 260 people does not appear to have been caused by a mechanical problem with the aircraft’s fuel control switches, which have emerged as a major focus in the Indian government’s investigation into the disaster.

“We can say with a high level of confidence it doesn’t appear to be a mechanical issue with the Boeing fuel control unit,” Bedford told reporters at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, according to Reuters.