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 confidently stated that the June Air India crash, which killed 260 people, was not caused by a mechanical problem with the Boeing 787's fuel control switches.
India's preliminary investigation found the aircraft's fuel control switches were moved to the "Cutoff" position, causing engines to shut down mid-climb, and noted Air India had not followed a 2018 FAA advisory regarding these switches.
The FAA clarified its 2018 advisory focused on ensuring engagement of fuel switch locking mechanisms, not an inherent mechanical fault with the devices themselves, and continues to maintain their safety.

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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.