Lawsuits filed by numerous families against Boeing and Honeywell in relation to the fatal Air India crash in June, claiming the lives of 260 individuals.
Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787, tragically crashed just seconds after takeoff from the Indian city of Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, resulting in the loss of 260 lives. The crash site is now a haunting reminder of the devastating event, as pictured in a residential area near the airport.
The crash has led to a lawsuit being filed in the U.S. Delaware Superior Court by the families of four victims against Boeing and Honeywell, alleging that the companies are responsible for the crash. The lawsuit suggests that the fuel cutoff switches, which allegedly moved from run to cutoff, could be in a place in the cockpit where they could be inadvertently pushed, potentially causing fuel cutoff.
According to the preliminary report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Air India had not conducted the suggested inspections on the fuel cutoff switches' locking mechanism, as recommended in a 2018 FAA advisory. The report also includes a cockpit voice recording where one pilot asks another why he cut off the fuel, and the other pilot responds that he did not do so.
Aviation safety experts told Reuters that the switches cannot be accidentally flipped based on their location and design. However, the lawsuit alleges that their placement could potentially lead to inadvertent activation.
The plane involved in the crash had its throttle control module, which includes the fuel switches, replaced in 2019 and 2023. Both engine fuel cutoff switches moved from run to cutoff, causing a dual-engine flameout.
Boeing and Honeywell have not yet responded to requests for comment. Boeing referred FOX Business to the report but did not provide any additional comment. Honeywell did not immediately respond to a FOX Business inquiry.
The current stock prices for The Boeing Co. (BA) and Honeywell International Inc. (HON) are 215.66 and 210.20 respectively.
The AAIB's report is still under investigation, and more details are expected to be released in due course. A screengrab from UGC video footage shows thick black smoke rising from a residential area after Air India flight 171 crashed in Ahmedabad.
Reuters contributed to this report.
