Air India Crash: Fuel Switches and Investigation Challenges with Ex-Pilot Steve Green

Air India Crash Preliminary Findings

• ✈️ A preliminary report on the Air India crash, which killed 260 people, revealed that the fuel switches for both engines were shut off shortly after takeoff.
• ❓ The report does not clarify how or why these switches were turned off, leaving a significant gap in understanding the cause.
• 🗣️ Cockpit voice recordings indicate one pilot asking the other about cutting off the fuel line, with the other pilot denying it.

Expert Analysis of Fuel Switches

• 💡 Retired Boeing 737 Captain Steve Green describes the fuel switches as requiring an intentional action to move from the 'run' to 'cutoff' position, noting they have a guard and a collar that must be slid up.
• ⚠️ He expresses uncertainty about the exact meaning of the term 'transition' used by authorities, suggesting it might refer to the physical switch or its internal workings.
• 🧐 Green believes investigators are likely withholding definitive conclusions until more information is gathered to avoid premature assignment of blame.

Lingering Questions and Investigation Process

• ⏱️ A key disappointment in the initial report was the omission of specific timings for crucial events, such as cockpit remarks and the deployment of the ram air turbine.
• 🔍 Aligning these timings with engine shutdown and restart data is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the sequence of events.
• ⏳ Green emphasizes the need for patience due to the complex and time-consuming nature of accident investigations, especially in sensitive cases.

Service Bulletins and Potential Malfunction

• 🚨 The FAA issued a recommendation in 2018 for Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect fuel switch locks, but Air India did not comply as it was not mandated.
• 🤔 This raises questions about whether an equipment malfunction could be a contributing factor, though Green notes it was a service bulletin, not an airworthiness directive, meaning compliance wasn't mandatory.
• 🔬 The investigation approach involves trying to falsify potential causes to arrive at the most probable explanation for the incident.