Plane in Air India Ahmedabad Crash Had History of Failures, Aviation Safety Campaigners Tell US Senate
New Delhi: A new report submitted to the US Senate by aviation safety campaigners claims that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed after take-off in Ahmedabad, killing 270 people, had a documented history of repeated technical failures.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety, which submitted a presentation to the senate, has noted that its documents show repeated engineering, manufacturing, quality, and maintenance problems with the aircraft, which also purportedly suffered an in-flight fire.
The foundation’s head is former Boeing manager Ed Pierson.
The crash of the Air India Flight 171 is one of the worst in recent times. Even before the crash, whistleblowers had repeatedly warned that passengers would pay a price for Boeing’s tyrannical corner-cutting, especially with the planes shipped overseas.
The FAS noted in its report that its documents indicate that systems failures started the very first day that the airplane arrived in India, February 1, 2014.
It said its documents further revealed that the VT-ANB aircraft experienced a wide and confusing variety of engineering, manufacturing, quality, and maintenance problems throughout its 11-year life, leading to electrical systems failures, electronics and software faults, wire damage, smoke and fumes, short circuits, burning, and overheating of power distribution components.
Also read: Air India Crash Latest Blot in Boeing’s History, Whistleblowers Had Raised Concerns on Dreamliner
It cited the examples of two fires in 2022. The earlier one, in January, broke out in the aircraft’s P100 power distribution panel and the damage was reportedly so extensive that the entire panel had to be replaced. In April 2022, the airplane was grounded due to confusing faults involving the landing gear indication system. Air India replaced a proximity sensing data concentrator module among other crucial parts, the report said.
The report found that Air India’s other 787 airplanes have evidence of electrical systems failures too and that airplanes registered in the US, Canada, and Australia "are experiencing similar aircraft systems failures."
The official investigation into the crash is being led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with US participation. A preliminary AAIB report had sparked controversy by stating that fuel control switches were moved to the “cut-off” position shortly after take-off, depriving the engines of fuel. A cockpit voice recording suggested confusion between the pilots over who had moved the switches, prompting speculation that pilot error caused the crash – fuelling outrage from pilots' bodies and technical experts.
The FAS has noted how passengers and crew are flying 787 airplanes "unaware of these ongoing hazards, not to mention the people on the ground."
In searing words, it has observed that Boeing, Air India, and India government employees are "deliberately withholding and concealing critical safety information" from both the public and authorities.
As a note, it has included the fact that the Union government is responsible for the maintenance of Air India’s airplanes
The FAS has recommended the investigation of what it calls is a "criminal cover-up" and the ties and similarities to the two Boeing MAX airplane crashes (Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610), noting ominously that "otherwise it will happen again."
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