June 12, 2025, marked a grim milestone: Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed just five minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, carrying 242 souls. This incident is the first recorded crash of the 787, a jet celebrated for its cutting-edge tech and safety record since 2011.
Data shows the plane hit a mere 625 feet before a rapid descent at 475 feet per minute, ending in a fiery plunge into Meghani Nagar. Was the crash a hidden defect in the Dreamliner’s vaunted systems or a freak anomaly?
ALSO READ | Air India Flight Crashes in Ahmedabad: 242 Onboard, Rescue Efforts Intensify
Mayday in Seconds: Could Pilots Have Stopped the Fall?
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with 8,200 hours of flight experience, and First Officer Clive Kundar, with 1,100 hours, issued a chilling “Mayday” call moments before radio silence. The DGCA confirms the distress signal came as the plane struggled to climb, with aviation expert Sanjay Lazar noting a “catastrophic failure to achieve lift” at just 825 feet.
Did human error play a role, or were the pilots battling an unstoppable mechanical fault? The black box, now under scrutiny, holds the key.
Boeing’s Battered Legacy: Is the 787’s Safety Record a Lie?
Boeing’s 787 fleet, with over 1,175 planes and 5 million flights, was a symbol of reliability—until now. The company’s stock plummeted 7% in pre-market trading as news broke. Past issues, such as 2024's unverified electrical safeguard inspections on 787 wing joints, raise concerns.
The FAA had already probed engine troubles, grounding some 787s. Is this crash a one-off, or does it expose deeper cracks in Boeing’s engineering? The world’s airlines await answers.
Did you know?
Air India, India's flag carrier, was founded in 1932 by JRD Tata, and has since grown to become a major international airline.
India’s Aviation Under Fire: Can Safety Keep Up?
India’s booming airline industry faces a reckoning. The DGCA and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are leading the probe, with Boeing dispatching a technical team. The 787’s advanced systems, like its Synthetic Vision System and Integrated Modular Avionics, were meant to prevent such disasters.
Yet, the crash in a densely populated area questions maintenance standards and oversight. Will this tragedy force a reset in India’s aviation safety protocols?
Unanswered Questions: What’s Next for the Investigation?
As rescue teams battle flames fueled by the plane’s heavy load, investigators are combing through wreckage and data. The cause—mechanical failure, human error, or external factors—remains elusive.
Desperate queries flood Air India's hotline (1800 5691 444) and X handle (@airindia). With global eyes on Ahmedabad, the probe’s findings could reshape aviation trust.
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