Keystone Law advising families who seek answers from Boeing and Air India following Air India 171 Preliminary Accident Report

Keystone Law’s Aviation team, together with the British families they represent following the Air India 171 tragedy, welcomes the release of the Preliminary Accident Report published on 12 July 2025.

The report highlights two specific areas of concern that require detailed investigation: the integrity of the fuel cutoff switches and what occurred in the cockpit during the 26 seconds between lift-off and the mayday call.

Following the report, the families will be asking serious questions of Boeing and Air India, including:

Boeing

The families note that a relevant advisory – Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin NM-18-33 – was issued in late 2018 by the US safety regulator (FAA), relating to faulty fuel cutoff switches, including part number 4TL837-3D, which was fitted to this aircraft. This bulletin was issued during the period when independent US Congressional investigations later established that there had been “regulatory capture” of the FAA by Boeing, resulting in grossly insufficient oversight of Boeing that failed to ensure the safety of the flying public.

Air India

The families also note that the fuel cutoff switches transitioned from ‘run’ to ‘cutoff’ sequentially just 3 seconds after lift-off, with one pilot asking the other why he cutoff – and receiving a response that he did not do so. This troubling exchange between the two pilots requires urgent clarification.

James Healy-Pratt, Aviation partner at Keystone Law, commented:

“The families we are representing are troubled and concerned by this preliminary report as it raises very serious questions against Boeing and Air India. There is a documented history of faulty fuel cutoff switches, which clearly created an unsafe condition. Further, there is absolutely no good reason for the fuel cutoff switches to be transitioned to ‘cutoff’ at that critical stage of take-off of AI 171.

“The families will be seeking to obtain answers from Boeing through action in the US Courts and will continue discussions with Air India in London, England.”

“Air safety is a right and not a privilege, and we continue to support our group of families in obtaining truth and justice.”