Air India plane crash: Victims' families file case against Boeing and Honeywell in US; what are the allegations?

News Topical, Digital Desk : The families of four passengers killed in the Air India plane crash have filed a lawsuit against Boeing and Honeywell. They blame the company's negligence and a faulty fuel cutoff switch for the accident. The Air India plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad to London on June 12, killing 260 people.

In a complaint filed Tuesday in Delaware Superior Court, victims' families said the locking mechanism of a switch on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner could inadvertently become disengaged or missing, leading to a loss of fuel supply and a reduction in thrust needed for takeoff.

He said Boeing and Honeywell, which installed and manufactured the switch, were aware of the risk, especially after the US Federal Aviation Administration warned in 2018 about the locking mechanism being stuck on several Boeing planes.

What did Honeywell and Boeing do to prevent the accident?

The complaint states that by locating the switch directly behind the thrust lever, “Boeing effectively ensured that normal cockpit activity could result in an inadvertent fuel cutoff. What did Honeywell and Boeing do to prevent this disaster? Nothing.”

Arlington, Virginia-based Boeing declined to comment Wednesday. Honeywell, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Both companies are incorporated in Delaware. The lawsuit is the first filed in the United States over the accident.

260 people died, including 229 passengers.

The family members in their complaint seek compensation for the deaths of Kantaben Dhirubhai Paghdal, Navya Chirag Paghdal, Kuberbhai Patel, and Babyben Patel, who were among the 229 passengers who died. Twelve crew members and 19 people on the ground also died in the accident. One passenger survived.

Agencies have not reached the main factors of the accident

Indian, British, and American investigators have not conclusively determined the cause of the crash. A preliminary report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau in July described confusion in the cockpit before the crash. Also in July, U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Brian Bedford expressed a high degree of confidence that mechanical problems or inadvertent movement of fuel control components were not responsible.

Boeing was banned for 20 months

Boeing faced more than $20 billion in legal and other costs following two fatal crashes of its 737 Max aircraft in 2018 and 2019. The best-selling plane was grounded for 20 months.

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