Air India Grounded in Grief

June 16th, 2025

Dhruv Arun

An Air India flight bound for London carrying 242 people crashed seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing all but one person on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. AI 171, belonging to Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 fleet, crashed seconds after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Officials said the aircraft lost altitude soon after taking off at around 1.30 pm. It crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College before going up in flames, sending plumes of thick black smoke spiraling up in the air. The Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad said that the pilot had issued a 'Mayday' distress call, denoting a full emergency, soon after takeoff. Flightradar noted that the aircraft reached maximum altitude of 625 feet, though airport altitude is about 200 feet. It’s not clear why the plane so quickly lost altitude before it crashed into a fireball in a residential area.

In response, the Indian government has launched a full-scale investigation. Crash investigators will look at everything from the airline’s maintenance records to the pilots’ maneuvers, the position of the aircraft as well as slats and flaps on the wings, the plane’s takeoff weight and configuration, the pilots’ training and recent rest, and weather conditions on the hot day, when temperatures were about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. They will also examine video from the incident, including footage of the aircraft taking off from Ahmedabad, where its landing gear appeared to remain down after takeoff, which is highly unusual, pilots for major airlines told CNBC. Under international protocols, the country where the incident occurred will lead the investigation, while the plane’s manufacturer, Boeing, and the aircraft’s engine maker, GE Aerospace, as well as U.S. federal crash investigators will participate.

Meanwhile, families of victims are grappling with loss and waiting for closure. Nearly 600 doctors, assistants, and drivers have been roped in to hand over the bodies, identified through DNA testing, outside the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Dozens of anxious family members have been waiting outside an Ahmedabad hospital to collect the bodies, as doctors were working overtime to gather dental samples from the deceased to run identification checks and DNA profiling. The bodies of the 274 victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, who have been identified, are set to be handed over to their families by the Gujarat government on Sunday.

In the wake of the crash, India has ordered all Boeing 787s being operated by local carriers to be inspected. The aviation regulator has ordered Air India to conduct additional maintenance checks on its Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines. Air India said it will provide an interim payment of 2.5 million rupees to each to the families of the deceased and to the survivor, to help address immediate financial needs, in addition to 10 million rupees in support announced previously by the Tata Group.

At Boeing, the tragedy has reopened long-standing questions. Even so, Boeing has found its name associated with yet another tragic aviation incident. Chief executive Kelly Ortberg said the firm's "Deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew" on the flight, and that Boeing would support the investigation into the crash led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.

Further pressure has come from former employees. Ed Pierson, the ex-high-level Boeing manager-turned-whistleblower, who testified before the United States Congress in 2019 that he had flagged safety issues with the company's 737 Max variant, has told NDTV of "Chaotic and dangerous manufacturing" at its production facilities. He told NDTV: "That's right... during testimony (to the US Congress in April last year) Mr Salehpour, who is the engineer with Boeing who reported problems, i.e., structural issues, and he provided pretty startling information about employees forcing parts to fit together (by jumping on them, according to some whistleblowers) when you aren't supposed to force them together..."

This is the first fatal crash of Boeing’s Dreamliner aircraft. There are more than 1,100 Dreamliners flying worldwide. Boeing has orders for 900 more Dreamliners, according to its website. Wolfe Research said in a note Thursday that “We don’t see much direct impact on financial performance, but this is certain to sap momentum until some solid clarity is provided."