Families of Air India crash victims sue aerospace giants Boeing and Honeywell
Loved ones of four individuals who died in the recent Air India tragedy have submitted a lawsuit in the US courts against planemaker the Boeing Company and component manufacturer Honeywell.
This lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, states that faulty fuel switches resulted in the crash and claims both companies of negligence.
The ill-fated flight, bound for Gatwick Airport, met with disaster soon after leaving the runway from Ahmedabad, causing the deaths of 260 passengers and crew.
The inquiry team have focused on the fuel switches after early findings indicated that power was cut off shortly after the plane left the ground.
Legal documents alleges that both Boeing and Honeywell were aware of the potential risks associated with the jet's components from the development and sale of the Dreamliner model.
It references a earlier advisory that advised—but did not mandate—operators to check the safety lock to avoid inadvertent shut-off.
Regarding flight AI171, the mechanism was shifted from operational mode to “cut-off”, which stopped the engine thrust as per the initial analysis.
The families allege this is a design defect that enabled the accidental stoppage of engine fuel, leading to a complete engine failure.
They added that the manufacturers failed to act to stop the disaster even though being aware of the risks.
The companies also according to the suit did not to notify airlines that the switches needed inspection and fixing, and did not supply replacement parts.
A more detailed report of the crash is expected to be published in the coming years.
This tragedy caused the demise of 229 travelers, 12 cabin crew, and 19 individuals on the surface.
