A US-based aviation safety group has raised serious concerns over the investigation into the crash of Air India Flight AI-171, alleging that key documents were withheld from investigators. The June 2025 accident in Ahmedabad claimed 260 lives, making it one of the deadliest recent aviation disasters in India.
According to Ed Pierson, Executive Director of the Foundation for Aviation Safety, the organisation accessed non-public documents indicating a history of electrical issues in the aircraft involved. The aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner registered as VT-ANB, reportedly experienced repeated electrical and electronic system failures.
The documents detail incidents such as smoke and fume events, burnt wiring, electrical shorts, and even onboard fires. The aircraft was allegedly grounded multiple times due to faults in the P100 Power Panel, a critical system responsible for distributing electrical power across onboard components.
The group claims these records were in possession of Air India and Boeing but were not shared with investigators. It also noted that the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau did not reference these issues, raising questions about transparency in the probe.