In brief
Evidence has surfaced from the Foundation for Aviation Safety that the Air India aircraft that crashed in June had been experiencing significant technical issues long before the accident. Details released in a presentation to the US Senate highlight failures ranging from in-flight fires to persistent electrical faults, prompting scrutiny of the airline's safety oversight and manufacturer's obligations.
Aviation safety campaigners in the United States say they have evidence a plane that crashed in India last year had previously suffered a series of technical failures, including an in-flight fire.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed on 12 June, shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad en route to London, killing 260 people.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety, a US campaign group, has sent a presentation to the US Senate outlining its findings, which it says are based on documents that have come into its possession.
The official investigation into the accident is ongoing. However, an interim report published in July sparked widespread speculation and controversy. Boeing declined to comment.
The aircraft involved in the accident, registered as VT-ANB, was one of the earliest 787s to be built. It first flew in late 2013 and entered service with Air India in early 2014.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety says documents show that the plane experienced system failures from its very first day in service for Air India. It alleges these were caused by a wide and confusing variety of engineering, manufacturing, quality, and maintenance problems.
The failures included electronics and software faults, circuit breakers tripping repeatedly, damage to wiring, short circuits, loss of electrical current, and overheating of power system components.
In January 2022, there was a fire in the P100 power distribution panel. This is one of five such panels that take high-voltage power generated by the engines and distribute it around the aircraft.
The pilots started receiving fault messages during a descent into Frankfurt Airport - and the damage was discovered afterwards. It was so severe, the FAS says, that the entire panel had to be replaced.
The 787 relies more heavily on electrical systems than previous generations of passenger aircraft, leading to problems early in its existence.
The Foundation's report has been sent to the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which last year held hearings into Boeing's broken safety culture. The official investigation into the Ahmedabad crash is being carried out by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
A month after the accident, the AAIB published a preliminary report, which generated significant controversy. The report states that moments after take-off, the plane's fuel control switches had been moved from run to cut-off position, depriving the engines of fuel.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety is an organization led by Ed Pierson, a former senior manager at Boeing's Renton factory, who has been an outspoken critic of the aerospace giant's safety and quality control standards for years. The Foundation claims its concerns about the 787 extend beyond the aircraft involved in the crash.
Boeing has always maintained that the 787 is a safe aircraft with a strong record. The investigation into the Air India crash continues as officials sift through evidence to ensure clarity amidst a backdrop of evolving safety concerns.
