On Jun 12th 2025, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed moments after takeoff in a catastrophe that claimed hundreds of lives and stunned the global aviation community.
The aircraft, registered VT-ANB, departed Ahmedabad’s runway 23 at 13:38 local time with 230 passengers and 12 crew on board. Almost immediately after liftoff, the crew transmitted a chilling Mayday call: “No thrust, not taking lift.” Seconds later, the aircraft failed to climb and plunged into the BJ Medical College complex in the Meghaninagar suburb, about 0.9 nautical miles beyond the runway end. The wreckage spread over 200 meters, igniting buildings and triggering a massive emergency response.
Rescue services rushed to the scene, but the devastation was overwhelming. Air India later confirmed that 241 people on board lost their lives, with only one passenger surviving the crash with serious injuries. On the ground, at least 19 people were killed and dozens more injured, including medical students living in the hostel buildings struck by the aircraft.
India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported that the Mayday call was made at 13:39 local time, with no further transmissions received before impact. Early findings ruled out bird strike and loading issues, while investigators said pilot error and simultaneous mechanical failure of both engines appeared unlikely. As a precaution, inspections were ordered across Air India’s Dreamliner fleet, though no major safety deficiencies were found.
The investigation quickly expanded in scope and intensity. Both flight data and cockpit voice recorders were recovered, along with the aircraft’s emergency locator transmitter. Data downloads were completed in Delhi in the presence of India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the US National Transportation Safety Board. Preliminary analysis revealed a disturbing sequence: shortly after liftoff, both engine fuel control switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF within one second of each other, causing a rapid loss of thrust. Cockpit recordings captured one pilot asking why the engines were cut off, while the other denied taking any such action.
Moments later, the crew attempted to restore power, triggering automatic relight attempts. One engine showed signs of recovery, while the other failed to regain thrust. The aircraft continued to lose altitude, and the Mayday call was transmitted just seconds before impact.
As the weeks passed, the crash evolved from a tragic accident into a case with global safety implications. Investigators began examining possible systemic failures involving the Dreamliner’s electrical and engine control architecture, including long-standing service bulletins from manufacturers and regulators warning of potential loss-of-thrust scenarios. India accepted an ICAO observer into the investigation, and international agencies joined in technical support.
The disaster also reached India’s Supreme Court, where multiple petitions demanded transparency and an independent inquiry, citing concerns of latent design defects and repeated unresolved electrical failures in the aircraft’s history. Whistleblower reports later alleged years of recurring system malfunctions, fires, and electrical anomalies on VT-ANB and other Dreamliners worldwide, raising fears that known risks may have been normalized over time.
For the families of the 260 victims—those on board and those on the ground—the investigation remains the only path to answers. A preliminary report has been submitted but not fully released, and a final determination of cause is still pending. What is already clear, however, is that the crash of AI-171 stands as one of the most tragic and complex aviation disasters in recent memory, leaving a legacy that may reshape how modern aircraft systems are monitored, maintained, and certified in the years to come.
