Air India Crash Victims' Families File Lawsuits Against Boeing and Honeywell
On June 12, a tragic incident occurred when an Air India Boeing 787 crashed, resulting in the loss of 260 lives, including 12 crew members and 19 people on the ground. One passenger survived the crash.
The preliminary investigation report did not mention any issues with the throttle control module, which includes the fuel switches, that were replaced in 2019 and 2023 on the plane involved in the crash. However, a lawsuit filed in Delaware Superior Court blames Boeing and Honeywell, which made the fuel switches, for the crash.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for the deaths of Kantaben Dhirubhai Paghadal, Naavya Chirag Paghadal, Kuberbhai Patel, and Babiben Patel, among others. Legal experts note that lawyers representing victims' families often target manufacturers due to their lack of liability limits compared to airlines.
The plaintiffs point to a 2018 FAA advisory that recommended inspecting the fuel cutoff switches' locking mechanism on several Boeing models, including the 787. The lawsuit alleges that faulty fuel switches caused the accident.
The crash occurred seconds after Flight 171 took off for London from the Indian city of Ahmedabad. A cockpit recording suggests that the captain cut the flow of fuel to the plane's engines during the crash. However, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has stated that the fuel switches do not appear to have caused the accident.
Indian investigators' preliminary report appears to exonerate Boeing and engine maker GE Aerospace. The report noted that all airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins were complied with on the aircraft as well as engines. However, Air India had not conducted the suggested inspections on the plane involved in the crash, according to the report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
Some family groups have criticized investigators and the news media for focusing too much on the pilots' actions. Such strategies can increase the prospect of using U.S. courts, which are perceived as more generous to plaintiffs than many foreign courts. The lawsuit is the first in the United States regarding the Air India Boeing 787 crash.
The focus on manufacturers is a common tactic in lawsuits involving airline accidents. The companies sued in the Delaware court case are Boeing and Honeywell. The lawsuit marks a significant development in the aftermath of the Air India Boeing 787 crash, as families of the victims seek justice and compensation.
