Following the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) revealed both engines shut down seconds after takeoff due to the fuel control switches being moved to the "CUTOFF" position. This finding has drawn attention to the design of the Boeing 787-8's engine fuel switches.

In the Dreamliner cockpit, each engine has a guarded fuel control switch located on the center pedestal. These switches are:

• Bracketed (guarded) to prevent accidental contact;

• Equipped with a spring-loaded locking mechanism that requires upward pressure before the switch can be moved;

• Distinctly designed so both deliberate intention and physical force are needed to shift them from RUN to CUTOFF.

This makes simultaneous or accidental activation highly unlikely, raising questions about whether there was a mechanical malfunction, design vulnerability, or human error in the Air India incident. Boeing has previously issued safety bulletins around switch-lock wear, but inspections were not mandatory. Investigators are now analyzing whether the mechanism failed or was manually triggered under duress.