Aviation safety campaigners in the United States claim to have evidence that a plane which crashed in India last year had a troubling history of technical failures, including an in-flight fire.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which crashed on 12 June shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London, resulted in the tragic loss of 260 lives.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety, a US-based organization, presented a report to the US Senate detailing its findings, derived from internal documents it has reviewed.
While ongoing investigations aim to ascertain the cause of the accident, an interim report generated significant speculation in July. Boeing has not commented on these allegations.
The aircraft, registered as VT-ANB, was one of the earliest 787 models, entering service with Air India in early 2014. According to the Foundation's research, this plane faced system failures from the very start of its service, attributed to a combination of engineering, manufacturing, quality, and maintenance issues.
The documented failures reportedly included electronics and software malfunctions, recurrent circuit breaker trips, wiring damage, short circuits, electrical current loss, and power system overheating.
Moreover, in January 2022, a significant fire broke out in one of its power distribution panels, prompting emergency protocols that further raised the alarm regarding the aircraft's design.
The Foundation has criticized the preliminary investigation report, which noted pilot actions shortly after takeoff but has been seen as insufficiently thorough by safety advocates. While the focus has shifted to pilot behavior, many believe that crucial technical problems may play a larger role in the mishap.
As part of the investigations, the US congressional subcommittee has previously held hearings regarding Boeing's safety protocols, indicating serious scrutiny into both corporate practices and regulatory oversight.
Boeing maintains that the 787 is safe, having operated for nearly 15 years without fatal accidents prior to the Ahmedabad crash. However, concerns about reliability continue to surface, regarding similar aircraft.
