The lawsuit filed in Delaware court argues that the accident was caused by a defective fuel switch
Released on September 17, 2025
The family of four passengers in the June 12 crash of the Air India Boeing 787 on June 12th, said the accident was allegedly said to have been defective in the fuel switch.
The lawsuit filed in Delaware Superior Court on Wednesday accused Boeing and Honeywell, which resulted in crashing after Flight 171 took off from Indian city Ahmedabad towards London.
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The plaintiff points out the 2018 FAA advisory that recommended but did not mandate operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, and confirms that the locking mechanism of the fuel cutoff switch cannot be misplaced.
The Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) preliminary investigation report on crashes showed that Air India had not conducted the proposed inspection and showed that the throttle control module, including fuel switches, had been replaced by planes involved in the crash in 2019 and 2023.
“All applicable airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins are being complied with by aircraft and engines,” the report said.
Boeing declined to comment, and Honeywell did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Cockpit recordings of the dialogue between the two pilots of the jet suggest that the captain cut off the flow of fuel to the plane’s engine.
The lawsuit argues that the switch is located in the cockpit location and likely to be inadvertently pushed out, “effectively ensuring that normal cockpit activity can lead to inadvertent fuel cutoffs.”
However, an aviation safety expert told news agency Reuters that they cannot incorrectly flip based on their location and design.
The lawsuit appears to be the first to crash in the United States.
It seeks unspecified damages for the deaths of Kantaben Dilbai Pagadar, Naavia Chirag Pagadar, Kuberbai Patel and Babiben Patel, among the 229 passengers who died.
A 12 crew members and 19 people on the ground were also killed. One passenger survived. The plaintiff is a citizen and lives in either India or the UK.
While the Indian investigator’s preliminary report appeared to exonerate Boeing and engine maker GE Aerospace, some family groups have criticised investigators and news outlets for focusing too much on the pilot’s actions.
While most accidents are caused by a combination of factors, legal experts say they tend to target manufacturers as lawyers representing the victim’s family do not face the same limitations on the liability the airline enjoys. Such a strategy can also increase the likelihood of using US courts, which are widely seen as more generous to plaintiffs than many foreign courts.
Boeingstock was closed on news that the lawsuits that day fell nearly 0.2%. Meanwhile, Honeywell fell early in the day, but rose 0.3%, bounced back against market closures.
