A US-based aviation safety advocacy group has raised fresh questions over the safety history of the Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft that crashed near Ahmedabad on June 12, claiming the jet had suffered from persistent engineering, manufacturing, quality and maintenance issues over more than a decade of service. The allegations, submitted in a whistleblower report to the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on January 12, have added a new and contentious dimension to the ongoing probe into one of India’s deadliest aviation accidents.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety, which filed the submission, has alleged that the aircraft experienced repeated electrical system failures during its 11 years of operation. According to the group, internal records and maintenance data indicate a pattern of technical problems affecting power distribution, avionics and other critical electrical components. These issues, the organisation claims, were not isolated incidents but part of a broader and long-running set of deficiencies that included design-related vulnerabilities as well as lapses in quality control and maintenance practices.
The whistleblower report asserts that the aircraft had encountered multiple episodes of electrical malfunctions, including unexpected power interruptions, circuit-related faults and overheating of components. It also refers to incidents involving smoke or fumes and software-related glitches that required repeated troubleshooting. Of particular concern, the group has highlighted a serious electrical fire that reportedly occurred in one of the aircraft’s power distribution panels several years before the crash, after which a major component was replaced. The advocacy group argues that such events point to systemic weaknesses rather than routine wear and tear.
These claims stand in contrast to the initial focus of official investigations, which have largely centred on cockpit actions in the moments after takeoff. Preliminary findings from the Indian authorities had indicated that both engines lost thrust shortly after departure, following the movement of fuel control switches, triggering speculation about pilot error or procedural lapses. The safety group has contended that this emphasis risks overlooking deeper technical factors, suggesting that chronic electrical problems may have contributed to or influenced the chain of events leading up to the crash.
The Air India aircraft went down seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport while operating a scheduled international service, killing all passengers and crew on board. The tragedy has been under investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, with assistance from international agencies in line with global aviation protocols. While the official inquiry is still ongoing, the emergence of the whistleblower report has intensified scrutiny of the aircraft’s operational history and the broader safety record of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet.
Beyond the specific aircraft involved in the crash, the Foundation for Aviation Safety has also drawn attention to what it describes as a wider pattern of technical issues affecting Boeing 787 aircraft worldwide. The group claims that thousands of fault reports related to electrical and system reliability have been logged across multiple jurisdictions, suggesting that the problems may not be confined to a single operator or airframe. It has urged regulators to examine whether existing certification standards, maintenance oversight mechanisms and reporting systems have been sufficient to detect and address such issues in a timely manner.
Aircraft manufacturers and airlines have so far responded cautiously. Boeing has reiterated that it will continue to support the official investigation and has avoided commenting directly on the allegations raised in the Senate submission. Air India and Indian aviation authorities have maintained that conclusions should await the final accident report, stressing that investigations under international rules are designed to determine all contributing factors without presumption.
Aviation experts note that modern aircraft like the Boeing 787 rely far more heavily on complex electrical systems than earlier generations of jets, a design choice that delivers efficiency and performance benefits but also increases dependence on robust power management and software integrity. They caution that major accidents are rarely the result of a single failure and often involve a combination of technical, human and organisational factors.
As investigators continue to piece together the final moments of the flight, the whistleblower claims have ensured that questions about aircraft design, maintenance history and regulatory oversight will remain central to the debate. The outcome of the investigation is likely to have implications not only for Air India and Boeing but also for global aviation safety practices, particularly in how long-term technical issues are identified, disclosed and resolved before they culminate in catastrophic events.