Air India crash: Boeing, Honeywell sued by families of four deceased passengers
The lawsuit is believed to be the first in the United States related to the crash. A cockpit recording showed dialogue between the two pilots before the flow of fuel to the plane's engines was cut off.
- Sep 18, 2025,
- Updated Sep 18, 2025 1:35 PM IST
The families of four passengers killed in the June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171 have filed a lawsuit in Delaware Superior Court against Boeing and Honeywell, the manufacturer of the aircraft's fuel switches. The lawsuit alleges that the accident, which resulted in 260 fatalities, was caused by faulty fuel switches in the Boeing 787. The lawsuit comes even as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that these switches do not appear to have caused the crash, which killed 260 people.
The families are seeking unspecified damages for the deaths of Kantaben Dhirubhai Paghadal, Naavya Chirag Paghadal, Kuberbhai Patel, and Babiben Patel. Twelve crew members and 19 people on the ground also lost their lives, with only one passenger surviving. The plaintiffs are citizens of and reside in either India or Britain.
The case refers to a 2018 US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory that recommended, but did not require, operators of certain Boeing models – such as the 787 – inspect the fuel cutoff switches' locking mechanism. The families argue the switches' cockpit positioning "effectively guaranteed that normal cockpit activity could result in inadvertent fuel cutoff." However, the FAA has stated these switches do not appear to have caused the accident.
Aviation safety experts told Reuters that, based on the location and design of the switches, they could not be accidentally flipped. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released a preliminary report indicating Air India had not conducted the recommended inspections, but maintenance records showed the throttle control module, including the switches, was replaced in 2019 and 2023. The AAIB reported, "all applicable airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins were complied with on the aircraft as well as engines."
The lawsuit is believed to be the first in the United States related to the crash. A cockpit recording showed dialogue between the two pilots before the flow of fuel to the plane's engines was cut off.
Indian investigators' preliminary report appeared to exonerate Boeing and engine maker GE Aerospace, but some family groups have criticised investigators and the press for focusing too much on the actions of the pilots. Legal experts say lawyers representing victims’ families often target manufacturers because they do not face the same limits on liability as airlines.
The families of four passengers killed in the June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171 have filed a lawsuit in Delaware Superior Court against Boeing and Honeywell, the manufacturer of the aircraft's fuel switches. The lawsuit alleges that the accident, which resulted in 260 fatalities, was caused by faulty fuel switches in the Boeing 787. The lawsuit comes even as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that these switches do not appear to have caused the crash, which killed 260 people.
The families are seeking unspecified damages for the deaths of Kantaben Dhirubhai Paghadal, Naavya Chirag Paghadal, Kuberbhai Patel, and Babiben Patel. Twelve crew members and 19 people on the ground also lost their lives, with only one passenger surviving. The plaintiffs are citizens of and reside in either India or Britain.
The case refers to a 2018 US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory that recommended, but did not require, operators of certain Boeing models – such as the 787 – inspect the fuel cutoff switches' locking mechanism. The families argue the switches' cockpit positioning "effectively guaranteed that normal cockpit activity could result in inadvertent fuel cutoff." However, the FAA has stated these switches do not appear to have caused the accident.
Aviation safety experts told Reuters that, based on the location and design of the switches, they could not be accidentally flipped. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released a preliminary report indicating Air India had not conducted the recommended inspections, but maintenance records showed the throttle control module, including the switches, was replaced in 2019 and 2023. The AAIB reported, "all applicable airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins were complied with on the aircraft as well as engines."
The lawsuit is believed to be the first in the United States related to the crash. A cockpit recording showed dialogue between the two pilots before the flow of fuel to the plane's engines was cut off.
Indian investigators' preliminary report appeared to exonerate Boeing and engine maker GE Aerospace, but some family groups have criticised investigators and the press for focusing too much on the actions of the pilots. Legal experts say lawyers representing victims’ families often target manufacturers because they do not face the same limits on liability as airlines.