Power Failure, Not Pilot Error? What Investigators Are Learning About The Air India Crash

Last Updated:June 20, 2025, 10:31 IST

Early findings suggest the aircraft may have suffered a power failure seconds after liftoff, but officials stress that the final cause will depend on black box data

On June 12, the London Gatwick-bound Boeing 787-8 aircraft crashed soon after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport, killing at least 241 people on board, and several others on the ground. (PTI)

Officials familiar with the investigation into the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick suspect a sudden power failure shortly after takeoff may have brought down the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which crashed into a medical hostel building after gaining an altitude of only 625 feet.

While the final cause will be known only after black box data is decoded, initial visual assessments, including wreckage patterns, ATC reports, and takeoff videos, point to a failure of the aircraft’s main electrical system within seconds of liftoff. The aircraft did not reach the minimum altitude required to execute an emergency turnaround or make use of its Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a backup system designed to power critical functions in case of total electrical loss.

The black boxes — Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) — have been recovered and are currently in the safe custody of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed on Thursday. He said the investigation is progressing with full support from local authorities, and that key recovery work, including site documentation and evidence collection, has been completed, with further analysis now underway.

In response to reports suggesting the black boxes were being sent abroad, the Ministry of Civil Aviation clarified that no final decision has been made. “It has been reported in certain media outlets that the CVR/DFDR (black box) from the ill-fated AI171 flight is being sent abroad for retrieval and analysis… the decision regarding the location for decoding the flight recorders will be taken by the AAIB after due assessment of all technical, safety, and security considerations," the ministry said in a statement.

According to a report in The Indian Express, an officer aware of the ongoing investigation said that early findings do not suggest cockpit error. Based on initial observations, the pilots are believed to have attempted to gain manual control using the Dreamliner’s reversionary systems, but the lack of altitude left little room for recovery. The aircraft had reportedly pitched up for liftoff when the power failure occurred, but failed to climb beyond 625 feet — far below the safe path minimum of 3,600 feet.

The officer further said that had the aircraft achieved an elevation of around 3,600 to 4,900 feet, the RAT might have been able to help sustain a glide or enable a Mayday return. Instead, the aircraft dropped sharply, with the impact separating the tail section due to its elevated nose position at the time of the crash.

Investigators are now closely examining the aircraft’s technical logs and maintenance records from the 24 to 48 hours before the crash. The aircraft had flown a round trip from Delhi to Paris on June 11-12 and had earlier completed a Delhi-Tokyo-Delhi sector. Officials are checking whether any crew or ground engineers reported anomalies, including ECAM (Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor) messages, engine thrust issues, or unusual sensor readouts.

While sabotage has not been indicated, investigators are examining whether fuel contamination—such as water in the fuel—could have contributed to the suspected power failure. According to The Indian Express, the officer say this scenario may be a leading explanation if no direct technical fault (mechanical or electrical) is found. Water in aviation fuel is a known cause of power loss and may remain undetected until the aircraft is airborne, especially if it leads to corrosion or clogging in the fuel system.

Chemical analysis of the wreckage, especially around the fuel tanks and delivery systems, is underway to identify any unusual chemical traces, impurities, or signs of corrosion. Forensic engineers have collected debris samples for lab testing, but much of the fuel system was damaged in the explosion and fire.

Comparisons are also being drawn with a February 2020 incident at London’s Gatwick Airport, where an Airbus A321 suffered dual engine failure shortly after takeoff. That aircraft returned safely to the airport after declaring Mayday thrice, but only because it had climbed to nearly 3,580 feet, investigators said. The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), which is now in Ahmedabad to assist with the AI-171 probe, had concluded in the 2020 case that the failure was caused by fuel system contamination. Notably, engineers had found no faults in the aircraft before it was cleared to fly that night.

As per The Indian Express, the officer pointed out that the Gatwick aircraft had shown signs of engine trouble on three previous flights. These included multiple attempts to start one engine and in-flight stalling messages. However, engineers had not conducted an extensive follow-up examination, resulting in the failure being missed. Investigators are now checking whether any such signs were overlooked in the case of AI-171.

The Ahmedabad crash is the first known accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a modern aircraft known for its fly-by-wire systems and backup electrical configurations. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is designed to continue flight on a single engine and can operate on manual reversion in case of dual hydraulic failure — standard capabilities for the aircraft type. However, according to the officer cited by The Indian Express, the crash altitude was too low for any of these backup systems to be effectively deployed.

The crash has raised serious questions around last-mile maintenance checks, fuel quality verification, and pre-flight inspection protocols. While a final conclusion will depend on flight data and chemical forensics, investigators are “leaving nothing to chance" given the rarity of a failure involving the 787 platform.

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