The announcement came after a preliminary report on the crash of Air India's Boeing 787-8 that killed 260 people raised questions about the engine fuel lock design.
In a notice sent to civil aviation authorities, the FAA said the fuel lock design, including a lock mechanism, is not considered a dangerous condition that requires emergency technical regulations.
Boeing also mentioned this announcement in a letter to many airlines, affirming that it does not recommend taking any action at the present time.
The preliminary report from the Air Traffic Safety Investigation Agency of India (AAIB) cited a 2018 recommendation from the FAA, which recommended checking the lock mechanism to ensure no accidental activation.
However, Air India said it would not do it because the recommendation was not mandatory. However, maintenance records show that the steering wheel - including the fuel switch - was replaced in 2019 and 2023.
ALPA India, which represents Indian pilots, opposes the claim of the pilot's guilt and calls for a fair investigation. ALPA India said it wanted to participate in the investigation as observers and cited the 2018 recommendation as evidence of the possibility of equipment failure. During the cockpit recording, one pilot asked the other why he cut off the fuel, but the other denied the act.
