Boeing, Honeywell Sued Over Air India Crash

Families of four passengers who died in the June crash of India Flight 171 have sued Boeing and Honeywell in Delaware Superior Court, alleging negligence and a faulty fuel cutoff switch on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The lawsuit claims the switch's locking mechanism could be inadvertently disengaged, causing a loss of fuel supply and thrust. Plaintiffs argue that both Boeing, which installed the switch, and Honeywell, which manufactured it, were aware of the risks, citing a 2018 United States — Federal Aviation Administration caution. The complaint also states that Boeing's placement of the switch directly behind thrust levers effectively guaranteed inadvertent fuel cutoff. The crash killed 260 people, and the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. While Indian, UK, and US investigators have not conclusively determined the cause, a preliminary report by India's India — Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau depicted cockpit confusion. The United States — Federal Aviation Administration administrator, Bryan Bedford, expressed confidence that mechanical problems were not to blame. Boeing has previously incurred over $20 billion in costs from 737 MAX crashes.