Family members of Air India Flight 171 victims file class action lawsuit against Boeing and Honeywell

The families of the victims of Air India Flight 171, consisting of four passengers, have initiated a collective legal action against manufacturers Boeing and Honeywell. They allege that the tragic accident, which resulted in the loss of 260 lives with only one survivor, was caused by the negligence and malfunction of a fuel cutoff switch. The incident occurred on June 12, 2025, soon after the plane had taken off from Ahmedabad International Airport in India, en route to London-Gatwick Airport.

The legal complaint, filed in Delaware Superior Court on September 16, 2025, asserts that the fuel cutoff switch on Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft could be easily turned off inadvertently or might even be missing altogether. This malfunction can lead to a decrease in fuel supply to the intended engine, resulting in a loss of necessary thrust required for takeoff. Investigators have specifically homed in on the fuel cut-off switches after discovering that the fuel to both engines was abruptly cut off shortly after the plane became airborne.

The families argue that both Boeing and Honeywell were aware of the risks associated with the switch possibly being shifted to the cut-off position unintentionally but failed to take any preventive measures. Despite a warning issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2018 about locking mechanisms disengaging unexpectedly in various Boeing aircraft, no corrective actions were taken by the defendants. Boeing did not make it mandatory for airlines to inspect the locking mechanisms of the fuel switches, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint details that Boeing’s placement of the switch behind the aircraft’s thrust levers virtually guaranteed the possibility of inadvertent fuel cut-off during regular cockpit operations. Both companies allegedly neglected to alert airlines about the need to inspect and repair the switches, nor did they provide replacement parts to allow their customers to address the issue. Seeking damages for the victims, including Kantaben Dhirubhai Paghadal, Naavya Chirag Paghadal, Kuberbhai Patel, and Babiben Patel, the families are represented by a law firm based in Texas.

While neither Boeing nor Honeywell have thus far responded to the legal claims, they refer to the preliminary investigation report conducted by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the crash. The exact cause of the incident remains unknown, with ongoing inquiries in India, the UK, and the US focusing on the activities related to the misplacement of the aircraft’s fuel cut-off switches, which were reportedly switched moments before disaster struck. The final report and recommendations are anticipated to be published in 2026, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.