New Delhi: Families of four victims of the June 12 Air India Flight 171 crash have filed a lawsuit in the Delaware Superior Court against Boeing and Honeywell, alleging that defective fuel cutoff switches were responsible for the tragedy.

The crash claimed 260 lives, including 229 passengers and 12 crew members, when the London-bound flight from Ahmedabad went down shortly after takeoff.

The lawsuit, believed to be the first US case connected to the incident, was filed on behalf of victims Kantaben Dhirubhai Paghadal, Naavya Chirag Paghadal, Kuberbhai Patel, and Babiben Patel.

The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages and argue that Honeywell’s fuel cutoff switches were designed in a way that made accidental activation possible during routine cockpit operations.

The complaint references a 2018 FAA advisory, which recommended—but did not require—operators of certain Boeing aircraft, including the 787, to inspect locking mechanisms on the switches.

Families claim the placement of the switches “virtually guaranteed” inadvertent activation. While the FAA has stated the switches do not appear to have caused the crash, plaintiffs allege that Boeing and Honeywell are jointly responsible.

Media reports citing cockpit voice recordings suggest the captain may have inadvertently cut fuel flow to the engines. However, aviation safety experts maintain that the switches could not be flipped accidentally due to their design and position.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in its preliminary report, highlighted that Air India had not conducted the FAA-recommended inspections.

Maintenance records confirmed that the throttle control module containing the fuel switches had been replaced twice—in 2019 and again in 2023. Despite compliance with all airworthiness directives and service bulletins, a final investigation report is still awaited.