September 18, 2025

A shocking tragedy in June 2025 left 260 people dead when Air India Flight 171 crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, heading to London. Now, the families of four of the victims have taken a strong stand. They filed a lawsuit against Boeing and Honeywell, blaming a faulty fuel cutoff switch for the deadly disaster. According to the court papers filed in Delaware Superior Court on Tuesday, the locking mechanism on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner's fuel cutoff switch could accidentally be turned off or be missing altogether. This serious flaw could cause a sudden loss of fuel supply, which meant the plane lost engine power just when it needed thrust the most – right after takeoff. The complaint did not pull any punches: "Boeing effectively guaranteed that normal cockpit activity could result in inadvertent fuel cutoff." It added, "What did Honeywell and Boeing do to prevent the inevitable catastrophe? Nothing." Both Boeing, which installed the switch, and Honeywell, the switch manufacturer, were allegedly aware of this risk. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration had already warned companies in 2018 about disengaged locking mechanisms on several Boeing aircraft models, but the danger remained unaddressed. The crash claimed 229 passengers' lives, including Kantaben Dhirubhai Paghadal, Naavya Chirag Paghadal, Kuberbhai Patel, and Babiben Patel, all named in the lawsuit. In addition, 12 crew members and 19 people on the ground also died, with only one passenger surviving the horrifying accident. Indian, UK, and American investigators are still digging into the crash, but no firm cause has been announced yet. A July report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau mentioned confusion in the cockpit right before the crash. Meanwhile, the FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said in July there was a "high level of confidence" that no mechanical failures or unintentional fuel control movements caused the crash. Boeing, based in Arlington, Virginia, refused to comment when contacted, and Honeywell from Charlotte, North Carolina, did not immediately respond. Both companies are legally tied to Delaware. This lawsuit seems to be the first in the U.S. over this tragic crash, seeking damages for the families who lost loved ones. Boeing is no stranger to legal battles over plane crashes, suffering more than $20 billion in costs after two 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, which saw the popular plane grounded for 20 months. The case is registered as Paghadal et al v Boeing Co et al in Delaware Superior Court, No. N25C-09-145.

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Tags: Air india crash, Boeing 787 dreamliner, Flight 171 lawsuit, Fuel cutoff switch, Boeing negligence, Honeywell switch,