New Delhi: On June 12, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in Ahmedabad, India, killing almost 270 people. The recently replaced right engine is now a major focus of the investigation.
The aircraft flight AI171 is operated by Air India and is scheduled to fly to Gatwick Airport, located in London, where it has embarked on its journey at 1:38 p.m. local time at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. In a few seconds, the aeroplane, with 230 passengers and 12 staff members aboard, sent out a Mayday call and crashed into a medical college hostel in Meghaninagar, 2 km from the runway. The worst-ever aviation accident in India in more than 10 years left one survivor, a British citizen and at least 38 people on the ground dead.
The plane, which is 11 years old and has the registration VT-ANB, was changed to a new right engine in March 2025, after a thorough check was also conducted in June 2023. It would face the next check in December 2025. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau of India (AAIB) is investigating the matter with the assistance of investigators to make sure whether the crash was partially caused by engine replacement. We have retrieved both black boxes, flight data, and cockpit voice recorders, which provide vital information on engine performance, flap settings, and landing gear.
The causes of the mishap may involve engine failure, misconfiguration of flaps, or human error, but not the bird strike, which is reported at the Ahmedabad airport frequently. The Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, stated that the investigation will yield detailed information by deciphering the black box data. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) required an immediate checkup of its 34 Boeing 787s for Air India due to concerns about safety on GEnx engines, 24 of which had been checked by June 17, and the plane, according to it, showed no major harm.
This accident has criticised the maintenance procedures and engine safety in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner because it was the first fatal accident of this type of aeroplane. Global aviation agencies are waiting to receive answers, and a preliminary report of the incidents is due to be provided within 30 days, with the full report in a year.