The tragic Air India flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed at least 241 people onboard and many on the ground, may have been caused by a sudden power failure just seconds after takeoff. Though the real reason will only be confirmed after analysing the black box, early findings have started revealing a worrying picture.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was headed to London Gatwick. But just after it lifted off and reached only 625 feet, the aircraft lost control and crashed into a nearby medical hostel building. That height was far below the safe altitude of 3,600 feet required to make an emergency turn or use its backup power system, known as the Ram Air Turbine (RAT).
Investigators believe the main electrical system failed almost immediately after liftoff. Videos, air traffic control reports, and wreckage patterns also support this theory. While no pilot error is suspected at this stage, officials say the crew may have tried to take manual control using emergency systems, but there simply wasn’t enough height or time to recover the aircraft.
Thankfully, the flight’s black boxes — the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) — have been recovered and are with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The final location for decoding them is still undecided, but authorities confirmed all technical and safety matters will be carefully assessed before sending the data abroad, if needed.
The crash is being taken very seriously as it’s the first major accident involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner — a modern aircraft with high safety standards and backup power systems. It is built to handle many types of failures, but in this case, the low altitude made it nearly impossible to use those systems effectively.
Another area under investigation is the aircraft’s fuel system. Officials are considering if water or some other contamination in the fuel may have caused the suspected power failure. Such issues can go undetected during ground checks and only show up once the plane is in the air. A similar case happened in 2020 at London Gatwick where an aircraft faced engine failure due to fuel contamination but landed safely as it had gained more height.
The AI-171 Dreamliner had recently flown long routes like Delhi–Paris and Tokyo–Delhi. Investigators are now closely checking its maintenance records from the last 48 hours to see if any engineer or crew had reported odd readings or issues with the engines or fuel system.
Chemical tests on wreckage pieces, especially near the fuel tanks, are ongoing to detect any impurities or corrosion. Some parts were badly damaged in the explosion and fire, but officials hope lab results will offer more clarity.
This crash has raised big concerns about fuel quality, pre-flight checks, and last-minute maintenance procedures. Aviation experts believe that such modern aircraft shouldn’t fail like this unless something serious was missed or went wrong at the last moment.
While we all wait for the final report, one thing is clear — nothing will be taken lightly. Every wire, system and drop of fuel will be examined, because over 240 lives were lost in just seconds. Their families and the country deserve clear answers and accountability.
