Experts flag mechanical, electrical malfunctions

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

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The Air India aircraft, which crashed soon after takeoff in Ahmedabad last month, might have suffered mechanical or power supply issues that could have led to the change in the position of the switches that feed fuel into the plane, experts said Saturday.

They also opined that the reasons for the change in fuel switch position will be known during further investigations.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary report has mentioned that fuel switches of engine 1 and 2 of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft were cut off within a gap of one second and later turned on before the crash June 12.

Federation of Indian Pilots (FPI) President and former Air India pilot Captain C S Randhawa said the position of the fuel switches can be changed only with a human interface.

These switches are spring-loaded and have a lock. If they have to be put into RUN position, then first, it has to be pulled out and move into the position, he said.