Manufacturer Of Air India Aircraft, Boeing, Issues First Public Response After Ahmedabad Crash

The manufacturer of the Air India Aircraft, Boeing, has issued its first public response following the release of the preliminary investigation report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (#AAIB) into the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad.

Shortly after the release of the report, Boeing stated that it would defer to the AAIB for all specific information regarding the crash, by established international protocols. In its official statement, Boeing expressed deep sorrow and solidarity, saying:

Our thoughts remain with the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board #AirIndia Flight 171, as well as everyone affected on the ground in #Ahmedabad. We continue to support the investigation and our customer.

“We will defer to the #AAIB to provide information about AI171, in adherence with the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization protocol known as #Annex13.”

The ill-fated aircraft was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which is now under heightened global scrutiny after the devastating incident on June 12. The crash claimed the lives of 260 people, including 242 passengers and crew, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent Indian history.

A month after the incident, the AAIB published its initial findings, offering critical insights into the chain of events that unfolded in the moments after takeoff. The report highlights a terrifying sequence that unraveled within just 90 seconds of the aircraft becoming airborne.

According to the analysis of data from the plane’s Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR), the fuel control switches for both engines were inadvertently moved from RUN to CUTOFF — just one second apart — leading to a simultaneous shutdown of both engines at a dangerously low altitude.

One pilot was heard asking the other, “Why did you cut off?”, to which the reply came, “I did not.” This critical error triggered the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) — a backup system meant for emergencies — but it could not prevent the plane from rapidly descending. With no thrust, the aircraft became uncontrollable.

At exactly 08:09 UTC, a distress call labeled “#MAYDAY” was transmitted, marking the crew’s final communication before the plane crashed into residential buildings just outside the airport perimeter.

The report noted that the flight data contained 49 hours of recorded operations, including six flights, one of them being the doomed journey of AI171. It also recovered two hours of cockpit voice recordings, capturing every moment of the unfolding emergency.

As investigations continue, both the AAIB and Boeing reaffirm their commitment to uncovering the full truth behind this catastrophic failure.