DGCA Orders Enhanced Safety Checks on Air India’s Boeing 787 Fleet After Ahmedabad Crash

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a formal directive mandating enhanced safety inspections on Air India’s fleet of Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft. This action follows the crash of flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick on June 12, raising concerns over the operational safety of the widebody fleet powered by GEnx engines.

According to the directive issued on June 13, Air India is required to carry out a series of one-time pre-departure checks on all Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft departing from India starting June 15. These include inspections of fuel parameter monitoring systems, cabin air compressors, electronic engine control systems, engine fuel-driven actuators, hydraulic systems, and a review of take-off parameters.

In addition to the one-time checks, the DGCA has instructed the airline to incorporate flight control inspections into routine transit checks until further notice.

Power assurance checks must also be completed within two weeks, and all repetitive technical faults reported over the past 15 days must be reviewed and addressed promptly, as per the aviation regulator.

The DGCA has further directed Air India to submit detailed reports of these inspections for regulatory review. The order was issued by Jayanta Ghosh, Director of Airworthiness.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on Friday to meet survivors of the tragic Air India flight AI-171 crash. He was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, and Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi. The Prime Minister spent time with the injured passengers, enquired about their treatment, and reviewed the ongoing medical assistance before departing the hospital. He also met family members of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who tragically lost his life in the crash.

Later, the Prime Minister chaired a high-level review meeting at Ahmedabad Airport to assess the situation and coordinate relief and investigation efforts following the crash.

Amid speculation surrounding the aircraft’s data recorders, authorities clarified that the video circulating online was not footage of the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR). The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed that the actual black box had been found on a rooftop and has been recovered. Over 40 personnel from the Gujarat state government have joined the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s teams to support the on-site investigation.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that the DFDR was recovered within 28 hours of the incident. “This marks an important step forward in the investigation and will significantly aid in determining the cause of the accident,” he said. The AAIB has since launched a full-scale investigation into the crash.