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:

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated with high confidence that the June Air India 787 crash, which killed 260 people, was not caused by a mechanical problem with the aircraft's fuel control switches.
This assessment contrasts with an Indian investigation's preliminary report, which found the fuel switches were moved to "Cutoff," shutting down the engines, and referenced a 2018 FAA advisory regarding fuel switch locking mechanisms.
The FAA clarified its 2018 advisory concerned *disengaged* locking features rather than inherent unsafety of the devices themselves and subsequently issued a new airworthiness notification to Boeing operators.
Air India recently completed checks on its 787 and 777 fleets, inspecting the fuel switch locks, and reported 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.