Electrical Failure Suspected in Deadly Air India AI-171 Crash – US Body Claims
US body suspects electrical failure caused deadly Air India AI-171 crash.
A US-based aviation safety organisation has speculated that an electrical failure may have triggered the catastrophic crash of Air India flight AI-171 in June 2025, just seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing all 260 people on board. The Foundation for Aviation Safety (FAS) submitted the hypothesis to the US Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, citing documents and whistleblower testimony not yet publicly released.
The Boeing 787-9 operating as AI-171 reportedly suffered recurring technical and systems-related problems since entering service in 2014. FAS highlighted a major fire-related incident involving the same aircraft in 2022, suggesting possible latent damage contributed to the disaster. According to the whistleblower, an electrical fault caused cascading malfunctions across critical flight systems, a known vulnerability in modern aircraft reliant on integrated electrical architecture and software.
The crash occurred when the plane plunged into a residential neighbourhood shortly after departure, resulting in one of India’s deadliest aviation tragedies in recent decades. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is still conducting its inquiry and has not released a final report or commented on the FAS claims. Air India’s internal investigation also remains ongoing.
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FAS criticised the lack of transparency, noting that key data—including the aircraft’s mechanical history, cockpit voice recordings, and flight data recorder information—has not been publicly disclosed, making it impossible to fully reconstruct the sequence of events. The organisation warned that non-disclosure undermines confidence in the investigation process.
The submission pointed out similar electrical and systems issues reported on Boeing 787s in the US, Canada, and Australia, suggesting broader systemic vulnerabilities across the global 787 fleet rather than problems isolated to one operator or region.
Aviation experts note that while whistleblower testimony can uncover hidden safety risks, such claims require thorough independent verification before conclusions are drawn. The US Senate subcommittee continues to examine the matter as part of its oversight of aviation safety and regulatory practices.
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