Aviation safety campaigners in the United States claim to have uncovered evidence that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which crashed in India on June 12, had experienced multiple technical failures prior to the incident. This airplane was on a flight from Ahmedabad to London when it crashed, resulting in the loss of 260 lives.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety (FAS) submitted a presentation with its findings to the US Senate, indicating that the aircraft had a troubling safety record since its introduction. The report suggests that technical failures—including circuit breaker issues, electrical shorts, and even an in-flight fire—plagued the aircraft during its service with Air India.
Specifically, on January 2022, there was a fire in the P100 power distribution panel. This incident occurred when the aircraft was descending into Frankfurt Airport, leading to critical damage that required the entire panel to be replaced.
The FAS also noted that the deficiencies were indicative of broader issues, labeling them as stemming from a confusing variety of problems related to engineering, manufacturing, and maintenance standards. This raises serious concerns regarding Boeing's quality control, especially in light of historical challenges faced by the 787 Dreamliner, including a notable battery fire that led to a temporary ground of the entire fleet in 2013.
While the official investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau continues, early findings have ignited a debate about the role of pilot error versus technical malfunction in the causative factors behind the crash. Preliminary reports assert that fuel control switches had inadvertently been moved to a 'cut-off' position just after takeoff, while some observers advocate that attention should not solely be on pilot actions but rather on potential systemic failures within the aircraft.
The FAS's report hasn’t been fully disclosed to the public, but it has already attracted scrutiny from victims’ advocates and safety experts, prompting questions about the reliability of safety measures in the aviation sector. Boeing has so far refrained from commenting, referring inquiries related to the ongoing investigation to the AAIB. As air travel safety continues to come under the microscope, the implications of this crash reverberate through the industry.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety (FAS) submitted a presentation with its findings to the US Senate, indicating that the aircraft had a troubling safety record since its introduction. The report suggests that technical failures—including circuit breaker issues, electrical shorts, and even an in-flight fire—plagued the aircraft during its service with Air India.
Specifically, on January 2022, there was a fire in the P100 power distribution panel. This incident occurred when the aircraft was descending into Frankfurt Airport, leading to critical damage that required the entire panel to be replaced.
The FAS also noted that the deficiencies were indicative of broader issues, labeling them as stemming from a confusing variety of problems related to engineering, manufacturing, and maintenance standards. This raises serious concerns regarding Boeing's quality control, especially in light of historical challenges faced by the 787 Dreamliner, including a notable battery fire that led to a temporary ground of the entire fleet in 2013.
While the official investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau continues, early findings have ignited a debate about the role of pilot error versus technical malfunction in the causative factors behind the crash. Preliminary reports assert that fuel control switches had inadvertently been moved to a 'cut-off' position just after takeoff, while some observers advocate that attention should not solely be on pilot actions but rather on potential systemic failures within the aircraft.
The FAS's report hasn’t been fully disclosed to the public, but it has already attracted scrutiny from victims’ advocates and safety experts, prompting questions about the reliability of safety measures in the aviation sector. Boeing has so far refrained from commenting, referring inquiries related to the ongoing investigation to the AAIB. As air travel safety continues to come under the microscope, the implications of this crash reverberate through the industry.
