The unfortunate accident involving Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, has shocked the aviation community. The plane crashed into a populated area soon after it had taken off from Ahmedabad, becoming the first-ever fatal crash of the Dreamliner, a jet that Boeing describes as its best-selling widebody.
The Indian authorities have ordered a complete investigation, and international attention is growing regarding the safety issues in the past associated with the manufacturing of the 787. At the center of this new attention is the whistleblower and former Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour, who in 2024 cautioned that the incorrect assembly procedures, such as not sealing microscopic gaps in the fuselage, might compromise the structural integrity of the plane during its lifetime.
Salehpour claimed that workers were under pressure to meet deadlines and that they went as far as jumping on components physically to make them align. He said that these shortcuts, which were rejected by Boeing, affected long-term durability and safety.
Boeing said it had done nothing wrong and the Dreamliner was safe; however, the U.S. FAA launched an investigation, and lawmakers held hearings. At the time, Salehpour said he was doing this not to harm Boeing but to stop crashes. His concerns seem eerily prescient now.
The Air India crash has reignited concerns over Boeing’s manufacturing integrity. The company said it is cooperating fully with India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and extended condolences to victims’ families. Boeing stocks dropped by more than 7 percent in the pre-market after the tragedy.
The incident also puts a dark cloud on the 787 fleet of Air India, which has recorded 32 technical problems since 2015. Around the world, the Dreamliner has experienced random malfunctions, including hydraulic leaks and electrical problems, and was grounded in 2013 due to battery issues.
It is not known whether the crash of AI171 is related to the flagged structural problems. Yet as investigators sift through the rubble, the Dreamliner is being scrutinized as the next-gen air travel it was meant to represent is being called into serious question, prompting some to demand more responsibility in aviation safety regulation.
