On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (registration VT-ANB), crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD), en route to London Gatwick (LGW), killing 241 of 242 onboard and at least 38 on the ground.

This report consolidates all available information as of June 15, 2025, incorporating the latest updates on the investigation, flight data recorder (FDR) analysis, cockpit voice recorder (CVR) search, possible crash causes, Air India and Boeing’s response and Tata-Boeing collaboration.

(This report summarily takes note of malafide narratives emanating from ongoing info-war by anti-democratic, anti-India, anti-US forces, blaming Indian pilots, Air India and Boeing, apart from Indian and American authorities. The report also briefly notes Boeing-related other news, like Chinese Communist Party (CCP) occupied China’s cancellation or stay of Boeing Aircraft Orders etc.)

Incident Overview

Flight Details: Air India Flight AI171, a codeshare with Singapore Airlines, departed AMD at 1:38 p.m. IST on June 12, 2025, with 230 passengers (including 11 children, 2 infants) and 12 crew (169 Indian, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, 1 Canadian). After a Mayday call, the aircraft crashed at 1:43 p.m. into a doctors’ hostel at B.J. Medical College in Meghani Nagar, 1.5 km from the runway, causing a fireball due to its 100-tonne fuel load. The sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh (British, seat 11A near an emergency exit), reported a “loud bang” and escaped through a broken door.

Casualties: 241 onboard fatalities, at least 38 ground fatalities (total death toll revised to 279, avoiding double-counting), and numerous injuries. Notable victims include former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Arjun Patoliya, a Briton who died 18 days after his wife’s passing away.

Flight Path: Flightradar24 data shows a maximum barometric altitude of 625 feet (425 feet above ground, given AMD’s 200-foot elevation), ground speed of 174 knots, climb rate of 896 feet per minute, then descent at -475 feet per minute. CCTV footage indicates a shallow climb, nose-up attitude, retracted flaps, and extended landing gear.

Aircraft History (VT-ANB)

Specifications:

Registration: VT-ANB, serial number 36279.

Model: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, powered by two General Electric GEnx-1B67 engines.

First Flight: December 14, 2013.

Delivered: January 28, 2014, to Air India from Boeing’s Everett, Washington facility (fuselage sections from North Charleston, South Carolina).

Flight Hours/Cycles: ~41,000 hours, ~8,000 cycles, typical for an 11.5-year-old 787-8. Operated 700+ flights in the past year, including 25 AMD-LGW routes in two years.

Prior Incidents:

August 2023: Emergency landing in Mumbai, no casualties.

November 2021: Fuel leak on Flight AI148 (London-Hyderabad), diverted to Ankara, resolved.

2014: Windshield crack, a known early 787 issue, fixed.

Maintenance: Part of Air India’s $400 million 787 fleet refurbishment, with VT-ANB recently serviced. VT-ANB serviced in March 2025 (right-side engine overhauled; full check was scheduled for December 2025).

Last Flight Before Crash: Operated as Flight AI423 (Delhi-AMD), arriving at 1:34 a.m. IST on June 12, 2025.

Investigation Status and Black Box Recovery

Investigation: Led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), compliant with ICAO standards, with support from the U.S. NTSB, UK AAIB (four investigators), Boeing, and GE Aerospace. A high-level committee under the Union Home Secretary will submit a report within three months.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered one-time safety checks for Air India’s 33 Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft with GEnx engines, effective June 15, 2025, covering takeoff parameters, fuel systems, electronic engine controls, hydraulics, and oil systems. Currently, Air India has completed checks on 18 aircrafts, with 15 pending.

Focus areas: engine thrust, wing flaps, landing gear and Air India’s maintenance regime.

A 59-second CCTV clip and a new high-resolution video with sound are key evidence.

Flight Data Recorder (FDR):

Recovered: June 13, 2025, after 28 hours, from the crash site’s rooftop, confirmed by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu.

Status: Intact, with minimal damage, under analysis at AAIB’s Delhi lab. Initial data extraction (24-48 hours) is complete, with full analysis ongoing. Early findings suggest engine performance anomalies during a 5-second period post-takeoff.

FDR data confirms a sudden drop in engine thrust. FDR analysis strongly indicates a fuel pump failure in both engines, with investigators examining maintenance records from the March 2025 overhaul for potential errors. Bird strike debris in the right engine is confirmed, suggesting a combined effect. Fuel samples are being tested for contamination. This issue was raised by former NAL deputy director Saligram J. Murlidhar.

Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR):

Not Recovered: Currently, the CVR search is ongoing in the tail section debris.

Significance: The CVR is critical for analysing pilot communications (e.g., Mayday call: “Thrust not achieved... falling... Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”) and cockpit sounds. It will provide vital insights. Specialised equipment, including a drone, is being used to locate the CVR in the heavily damaged tail section. The U.S. and UK teams are assisting with intensified efforts using thermal imaging, but no CVR recovery has been reported.

Victim Identification: DNA sampling and testing drive at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital’s Kasauti Bhawan aims to identify all remains within 72 hours. The death toll is confirmed at 279. DNA testing has identified 38 victims, with 24 (14 onboard, 10 ground) victims' bodies released.

Possible Reasons for the Crash

Based on new insights from ongoing FDR analysis, CCTV footage, a new high-resolution video, survivor account and expert analysis, the following theories are prioritised by likelihood:

Engine Failure or Malfunction (Very High Likelihood):

Evidence: Survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh reported a “loud bang,” the Mayday call cited “Thrust not achieved,” and FDR data indicates engine performance anomalies. FDR analysis highlights a fuel pump failure in both engines, with bird strike damage confirmed in the right engine. Investigators are probing maintenance errors from the March 2025 overhaul and testing fuel samples for contamination, as suggested by Saligram J. Murlidhar.

 The combined effect of a bird strike and fuel system failure is a leading theory. The aircraft’s shallow climb (625 feet, -475 feet/min descent) and CCTV/video evidence suggest thrust loss. A recently circulating high-resolution video with sound, shared on social media, confirms a “loud bang” followed by a rapid descent, strengthening the dual-engine failure theory.

Expert Insight: Dr. Sonya Brown (UNSW) noted a “significant loss of thrust” causing a stall, supported by radar data showing speed loss. Former NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti emphasised thrust issues.

Context: GEnx-1B67 engines are reliable, but a rare dual-engine failure could explain the crash. Ahmedabad’s 462 bird strikes over five years (2018-2023) make bird ingestion plausible.

Bird Strike (Moderate Likelihood):

Evidence: Ahmedabad’s bird strike history and the “loud bang” make this plausible. Confirmed bird strike damage in the right engine strengthens this theory, likely contributing to the fuel pump failure impact.

Context: The 787 can fly on one engine, requiring a dual-engine or additional system failure to crash.

Sabotage or Terrorism (Low Likelihood):

Evidence: Former NAL deputy director Saligram J. Murlidhar suggested fuel contamination as possible sabotage, but this is unverified. NIA involvement is standard. Media posts mention possible ground staff tampering, but evidence is yet to point to this. Fuel sample tests show no initial sabotage indicators, but analysis continues. NIA found no evidence of foul play till this moment.

Context: The “loud bang” and fireball align with mechanical failure.

Wing Flap Malfunction (Low Likelihood):

Evidence: CCTV and new video show retracted flaps, reducing lift. The 787’s Takeoff Configuration Warning System should have alerted pilots, as a failure probably due to a damaged wing, is possible. However, FDR data shows no flap deployment command.

Context: Flap issues with a 100-tonne fuel load could prevent climb. Ex-pilot Mr. Chan noted flap errors are “highly unusual” due to checklists. Investigators are examining flap actuators.

Hydraulic or Flight Control Failure (Low Likelihood):

Evidence: Extended landing gear, noted by consultant Anthony Brickhouse, suggests hydraulic or control issues. DGCA inspections target hydraulics. FDR analysis doesn't reveal any signals or alerts of hydraulic malfunction.

Context: A failure could impair flaps, gear, and control surfaces. The 787’s fly-by-wire redundancies make this less likely unless multiple systems fail at low altitude.

Manufacturing or Maintenance Issues (Low Likelihood):

Evidence: 2024 whistleblower Sam Salehpour alleged improper 787 fuselage fastening, but FAA tests found no immediate safety risks. VT-ANB’s 11-year service and recent maintenance reduce defect likelihood. Maintenance records show no recent lapses; investigators are reviewing Air India’s MRO logs. March 2025 overhaul records show no lapses, but fuel pump maintenance is under scrutiny. The 787’s flawless record until AI 171 and Air India’s refurbishment program suggest adequate maintenance.

Software Hacking (Negligible Likelihood):

Evidence: No reports suggest hacking. The 787’s air-gapped systems make cyber interference improbable.

Human Error (No Likelihood):

Evidence: Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (8,200 hours, 22 years) and First Officer Clive Kunder (1,100 hours) were highly experienced. New video evidence reduces this likelihood. And now, FDR data shows correctional manoeuvres ruling out pilot errors altogether. In fact, the pilots were unfazed despite death staring in the eyes of each of the 30-second windows that they had and tried their best to steer the craft towards a less populated spot. All other spots around were densely populated. An excellent pilot from our kith and kin was so full of appreciation for these two pilots that he gave full marks to both these seasoned pilots who sacrificed themselves while trying to minimise the deaths and damages.

Further investigation and service efforts

CVR Search: Drones and specialised equipment are deployed in the tail debris.

Community Impact: RSS and its affiliates are providing yeoman service to assist the system and the victims’ families. A GoFundMe for Arjun Patoliya’s orphaned daughters (aged 4 and 8) raised over £370,000 by June 15.

Air India and Pilot Professionalism

Privatised by Tata in 2022, Air India’s safety record is solid, despite a 2020 pilot-error crash (21 deaths). AI 171 is its worst since 1985 (Flight 182, 329 deaths).

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal: 8,200 hours, 22 years’ experience, lived in Mumbai.

First Officer Clive Kunder: 1,100 hours, DGCA/ICAO-trained.

Training: Rigorous, including 787-specific protocols post-2013 battery issues.

Air India Actions: Flight numbers AI 171 and AI 172 were retired, replaced by AI 159 and AI 160 effective June 17. Interim compensation of 2.5 million rupees (£21,000) per deceased and survivor, plus 10 million rupees (£85,000) from the Tata Group was announced. The medical hostel shall be built again by Tata.

Tata-Boeing Collaboration

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL): Produces 787 components (e.g., empennage, floor beams) in Hyderabad, likely including VT-ANB’s tail.

Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL): A 2016 Hyderabad joint venture for Apache helicopter fuselages, enhancing Boeing’s Indian supply chain.

Tata supports Air India’s 787 MRO, including VT-ANB’s refurbishment. No evidence links Tata’s components to the crash. MRO logs show compliance with DGCA standards.

Boeing’s Response and Safety Record

CEO Kelly Ortberg cancelled Paris Air Show plans, offered condolences, and sent experts to Ahmedabad. Boeing shares fell 5-9% post-crash.

Boeing emphasised the 787’s impeccable record (no fatal crashes in over 5 million flights since 2011). 2024 whistleblower claims were dismissed by the FAA as non-safety-critical. 737 MAX crashes (2018-2019) and a 2024 door plug incident exposed safety culture flaws, but no prior 787 fatalities have ever been recorded.

The Boeing team arrived in Ahmedabad on June 15 to assist with fuel system and engine analysis, joining AAIB, NTSB, and UK AAIB.

Boeing’s Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Boeing 787s are assembled in Everett (VT-ANB) and North Charleston (fuselage sections) in US.

Supply Chain: Japan (wings, fuselage), Italy (composite barrels), South Korea, Australia, Canada, and India (Tata). No 787 components from CCP-occupied China.

CCP/Leftist/Deep State led Information Warfare to Malign Boeing, US, Air India, India and Indian Pilots…

CCP/Leftist activists led media engage in information warfare to undermine Boeing, promoting COMAC’s C919 by amplifying safety concerns about Western aircraft amid US-CCP-occupied China trade tensions. CCP-occupied China has historically highlighted Boeing’s issues (e.g. 737 MAX).

Robust systems to counter this info war are needed and the Indian system, as well as concerned corporate stakeholders are really quick at providing information, thereby nullifying the negative info onslaught.

CCP-occupied China’s Boeing Order Cancellations and other recent developments

In early 2025, CCP-occupied China halted Boeing deliveries, primarily 737 MAX aircraft, impacting billions in orders. During Trump’s May 2025 Qatar visit, Qatar gifted a $150-400 million Boeing 747-8 as Air Force One until Boeing’s contracted 747- 8s are delivered by 2027. Accepted by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, jet will be retrofitted in San Antonio, Texas for security and communications at $100s of millions. Qatar’s $96 billion Boeing order (130 aircraft, including 787s) is also a major recent development.

Conclusion

Dual-engine failure, supported by new video and FDR data, is most likely with bird strike or fuel system issues as potential triggers. Flap or hydraulic failures are secondary.

Boeing’s safety record and global supply chain, and Tata Collaboration, as well as Air India, face scrutiny, but no evidence supports any lapse. Further updates will track FDR findings and CVR recovery.