Concerns Raised Over Air India Crash Following Report of Safety Defects

Wed Jan 21 2026 15:45:34 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A report by aviation safety campaigners highlights a series of technical failures in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed in India, raising questions about its safety history.

A group of aviation safety advocates in the U.S. claims that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, had a record of serious technical defects, leading to its investigation into the incident. The ongoing inquiry into the crash, which resulted in the death of 260 people, has become contentious as new evidence emerges related to the aircraft’s previous system failures. Campaigners urge a closer examination of Boeing's safety practices as the official report continues to unfold.

Aviation safety campaigners in the United States say they have evidence a plane that crashed in India last year had previously suffered a series of technical failures, including an in-flight fire.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed on 12 June, shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad en route to London, killing 260 people.

The Foundation for Aviation Safety, a US campaign group, has sent a presentation to the US Senate outlining its findings, which are based on documents that have come into its possession.

The official investigation into the accident is ongoing. However, an interim report published in July sparked widespread speculation and controversy. Boeing declined to comment.

The aircraft involved in the accident, registered as VT-ANB, was one of the earliest 787s to be built. It first flew in late 2013 and entered service with Air India in early 2014.

The Foundation for Aviation Safety claims the plane experienced system failures from its very first day in service for Air India, attributing these issues to a wide and confusing variety of engineering, manufacturing, quality, and maintenance problems.

Failures included electronics and software faults, repeated circuit breaker trippings, wiring damages, short circuits, loss of electrical current, and overheating of system components.

In January 2022, there was a fire in the P100 power distribution panel. The pilots started receiving fault messages during a descent into Frankfurt Airport, and the damage was so severe that the entire panel had to be replaced.

The 787 relies more heavily on electrical systems than previous generations of passenger aircraft, which has led to early issues, including a major battery fire on a plane owned by Japan Airlines in 2013, prompting temporary grounding of the 787 fleet.

The Foundation's report has been sent to the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, previously investigating Boeing's broken safety culture.

The official investigation into the Ahmedabad crash is being conducted by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with American officials participating since the aircraft and its engines were designed and built in the US.

Significantly, a preliminary report mentioned that shortly after take-off, the plane's fuel control switches had been moved from run to cut-off, causing the engines to lose thrust. The cockpit voice recordings raised questions about potential pilot error, leading to speculation regarding the cause of the crash. However, many industry insiders argue that significant technical issues cannot be overlooked.

Boeing has consistently stated that the 787 is a safe aircraft, maintaining a solid operational record prior to the Ahmedabad crash. As investigations continue, further scrutiny into the maintenance and safety protocols surrounding aircraft like the 787 is anticipated.