Aviation Expert Warns: Boeing Dreamliner Software Can Automatically Cut Engine Fuel Mid-Air — Has Happened Twice
An alarming claim from a top aviation expert and former U.S. official has intensified scrutiny over Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s onboard automation systems following the Air India AI185 incident, in which the aircraft reportedly lost engine thrust mid-cruise, and the pilot tragically died soon after. While early speculation from Western media outlets blamed the crew, growing evidence suggests that automated software — not pilot error — may be at the heart of the near-catastrophe.
The Air India Dreamliner was flying from Delhi to Frankfurt when it experienced what airline sources described as a “transient but unexplained power loss” from both engines. The pilot in command, Captain Aditya Chauhan, 45, suffered a cardiac arrest shortly afterward and passed away during an emergency diversion. The co-pilot managed to land the aircraft safely.
Now, voices from within the international aviation community are pushing back against attempts to scapegoat the deceased pilot, who, as critics point out, “is no longer here to defend himself.”
Mary Schiavo: “Software Can Cut Fuel Mid-Air — It’s Happened Before”
Mary Schiavo, a prominent aviation attorney and former U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General, has directly cautioned against prematurely blaming the pilot, instead urging investigators to focus on the Boeing 787’s automated engine control systems, particularly the Thrust Control Malfunction Accommodation (TCMA).
“In about 75% of the cases, the pilots are blamed — and in many cases, we've been able to disprove that,” Schiavo said in an interview with Barkha Dutt. “It is not only unfair but simplistic and harmful to blame the pilots… there are too many suspicious things to say, ‘Oh, it’s the pilots’.”
She cited past incidents — including a 2019 All Nippon Airways (ANA) case — where the TCMA system mistakenly cut off fuel mid-air, believing the aircraft had landed when it was still flying.
“The plane thought it was already on the ground and it was still in the air, and it cut the fuel. The plane came in like a very heavy glider — luckily, it was landing and not taking off,” she explained.
Dreamliner’s TCMA System Under Scrutiny
At the heart of these concerns is the TCMA, a software system mandated by the FAA, designed to automatically cut engine power under certain misinterpreted conditions.
“This system can and will cut the thrust to both engines if it malfunctions,” Schiavo warned. “And that has happened before.”
She also mentioned another troubling incident involving a United Airlines Dreamliner flying from Washington D.C. to Nigeria, where the aircraft entered a nose dive due to a sudden thrust reduction, again without clear pilot input.
Pilot Community Pushes Back at Western Media Narrative
The rush by several Western outlets to imply pilot error has drawn sharp criticism from Indian aviation circles, who argue the narrative is both premature and biased.
“He’s not here to defend himself. Blaming a dead pilot without all the facts is a disgrace,” said a retired Air India captain.
Schiavo echoed this concern, stressing that the investigation is far from complete. “Just having one pilot allegedly say to the other, ‘Why did you cut off?’ and the other say, ‘I didn’t,’ — that’s not nearly enough,” she emphasized.
She noted that data analysis from the flight data recorder (FDR) will take time. “There will be millions of lines of data. This aircraft has one of the most advanced recorders in the world,” she said. “And we must examine all of it before reaching any conclusions.”
What Really Happened to AI185?
According to Air India officials, the aircraft experienced a dual thrust anomaly approximately 40 minutes into cruise. Pilots tried to stabilize the situation, but moments later, Captain Chauhan reportedly collapsed in the cockpit. While the airline has cited “natural causes,” insiders are now wondering if the stress of a cascading system failure may have played a role in his death.
India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India are now conducting an internal probe, and have reportedly requested Boeing for software diagnostic logs from the aircraft’s flight control systems.
A Pattern with Boeing?
This latest controversy adds to Boeing’s growing troubles regarding automated systems overriding human control. The infamous MCAS system in the 737 MAX led to two fatal crashes, killing 346 people. That software, too, was later found to operate with limited pilot override ability, a design flaw that Boeing eventually admitted.
“Altitude is time,” Schiavo said. “At cruise altitude, you have some buffer. But during takeoff or descent, when these software systems act unpredictably, pilots don’t have that luxury.”
Caution Before Conclusion
Until the full investigation concludes, experts like Schiavo warn the public — and media — to reserve judgment.
“We owe it to the victims, the crew, and aviation safety worldwide to do the hard work of investigating this properly. Not to point fingers based on speculation,” she said.
As more data comes to light, the incident may not just be a tragedy for one airline — but a wake-up call for the global aviation industry and its growing dependence on automation.
