Flight to London Gatwick crashes at airport in India .June 12 th 2025

[LadyL]

There is a picture of the second black box component retrieved, stating that it is the CVR (more pics at the link):

First Images Of A Charred Cockpit Voice Recorder At Air India Crash Site In Ahmedabad

Images of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the Air India crash site showed the device charred and surrounded by burnt aircraft debris.

www.news18.com

so we know that 'black' boxes are actually orange in colour
is this one black from the soot of the fire?

 

[LadyL]

One thing that is confusing me, how did the only person who survived the crash keep his flip flops on? I can't get my head around that. Everything else I understand but flip flops staying on his feet just astonishes me. JMO MOO

where did you see that?

 

[Charlot123]

so we know that 'black' boxes are actually orange in colour
is this one black from the soot of the fire?

I don’t know about the color of the black boxes on Boeing 787. However, I read today that there is a redundancy element in them, too.

Both CVR and digital flight data recorder in Boeing 787 are placed in one black box. However, there are two such boxes, one located in the front and the other one, in the back of the plane.

A very good idea, IMHO.

 

[Skigh]

I don’t know about the color of the black boxes on Boeing 787. However, I read today that there is a redundancy element in them, too.

Both CVR and digital flight data recorder in Boeing 787 are placed in one black box. However, there are two such boxes, one located in the front and the other one, in the back of the plane.

A very good idea, IMHO.

A. couple of pages back (page 7 ) There are pictures of what black boxes look like and information about them.

 

[emirates1957]

so we know that 'black' boxes are actually orange in colour
is this one black from the soot of the fire?

I’m pretty sure that is the CVR.

 

[Charlot123]

One thing that is confusing me, how did the only person who survived the crash keep his flip flops on? I can't get my head around that. Everything else I understand but flip flops staying on his feet just astonishes me. JMO MOO

Thinking about the survivor, I remember a striking detail of another catastrophe. That was a horrible car accident that claimed, in 1962, all intellectual functioning of the Soviet physicist and Nobel prize winner Lev Landau.

The car accident left the physicist, sitting in the safest seat of the car, crippled, his head and body hopelessly mangled.

The strangest thing? There was a full basket with fresh eggs, standing between him and the passenger nearby.

Not a single egg was cracked.

In the group of physicists, this story survived to illustrate the incredible, hopeless randomness of the events in human life and the world.

Ramesh’s survival in the flight AI 171 crash might be viewed as a miracle by some. Others will see it as the testimony to his presence of mind. Hopefully it can help understand the mechanics of the accident. We have a witness whose firsthand account is invaluable.

But, if Ramesh ended up with flip-flops on, it won’t surprise me. This flight and accident might end up being an outlier.

Obviously, there is no clear explanation yet. Boeing 787 having carried over one billion passengers and completed over 5 million flights. Big numbers. I have noticed that experts commenting on this case are cautious because many explanations lie in the realm of “almost never happening” scenarios. Mentally, I am prepared to end up with several “almost impossible” versions of what the event. And given that the fuel burned out, maybe we’ll never know for sure.

Having several scenarios is not always bad. If indeed contaminated fuel caused double-engine failure, given hot weather in a major industrial city, then fuel quality control will be emphasized. Plane and baggage overload, obviously have to become a no. If passengers of the previous flight were concerned with electrical problems, the maintenance has to be performed extra seriously. Several things might end up improved.

Having said it, I am very sorry for the victims and their families. I wish us all, passengers and the industry, to get the answers that will end in increasing the safety of air transportations.

 

[indicolite22]

The crash of Air India flight AI 171 on June 12, just minutes after take-off from Ahmedabad, has drawn investigators' attention to the aircraft’s right-side engine. The engine had been overhauled and reinstalled only three months ago, in March 2025.

Crashed Air India plane's engine was replaced 3 months ago, now central to probe

The nearly 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had last undergone a detailed maintenance check in June 2023, with the next scheduled for December 2025, sources told India Today.

www.indiatoday.in

 

[Skigh]

Air India: How the Boeing Dreamliner crash investigation is unfolding

Every scorched cable, nut and bolt will be examined along with the black box to determine why it went down 30 seconds after take-off.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Dotta]

"Air India crash latest: ​

Investigators find emergency power ​

likely came on before crash.​

Investigators probing the deadly crash of Air India flight 171
have found that
the aircraft’s emergency power system was likely active just before impact.

The Wall Street Journal reported
that this possibly suggested
an engine or hydraulic failure during takeoff,
a rare and serious event in commercial aviation."

Air India latest: Investigators find major emergency power clue for crash

Indian aviation regulator finds no major safety flaws in Air India Dreamliners but flags maintenance and coordination issues

www.independent.co.uk

Air India Crash: Boeing 787’s emergency power system was likely active before crash - The Economic Times

m-economictimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[CriLondon]

We can truly only speculate until official investigation reports become available .

The crash of Air India flight AI 171 on June 12, just minutes after take-off from Ahmedabad, has drawn investigators' attention to the aircraft’s right-side engine. The engine had been overhauled and reinstalled only three months ago, in March 2025.

Crashed Air India plane's engine was replaced 3 months ago, now central to probe

The nearly 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had last undergone a detailed maintenance check in June 2023, with the next scheduled for December 2025, sources told India Today.

www.indiatoday.in

Mmm unlikely that it's a single engine failure as 1 is sufficient to climb up and return and plus it would be quite visible to the naked eye in terms of rudder input to keep the aircraft straight .
But as we have seen it pretty much just glided straight down .

JMO

 

[indicolite22]

Chronic staff shortage cited in the agency overseeing aviation safety:

In a March 2025 report, the standing committee on transport, tourism, and culture said over 53 per cent of posts were lying vacant in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the agency responsible for the safety of every flight that takes off or lands in the country.
"The DGCA has two bodies overseeing safety - the flying staff and ground engineers, with each undergoing mandatory training every six months”.

'Chronic' safety staff shortage: Parliamentary panel flagged before Air India crash

Over 53% of posts vacant in DGCA, which oversees aviation safety; BCAS and AAI also face chronic staffing gaps.

www.indiatoday.in

 

[indicolite22]

Lone Air India survivor carries coffin of brother killed in crash

A visibly upset Ramesh was one of the pall bearers who carried his brother's coffin to the crematorium in the town of Diu, his arm and face still covered in white bandages. He's spent most of the past five days in hospital.

Air India: Lone survivor lays brother to rest at emotional funeral

A visibly upset Ramesh was overcome with grief carrying his brother's coffin to the crematorium.

www.bbc.com

 

[Spectrix]

so we know that 'black' boxes are actually orange in colour
is this one black from the soot of the fire?

Yeah it's basically burnt black from the intensity of the fire. They're painted bright orange to aid in being found by investigaters, but no paint can withstand that kind of temperature.

 

[indicolite22]

I speculated earlier on the thread that the survivor could have escaped through the opening between two of the four buildings, but it looks like he landed there in the first place:

Top sources informed India Today TV the reason behind his miraculous escape - Viswashkumar Ramesh landed in the narrow gap between two buildings where loose soil had been piled up, cushioning his fall and saving his life.

Landed on soft soil, no blast on plane: How lone survivor escaped Air India crash

Top sources informed India Today TV the reason behind his miraculous escape - Viswashkumar Ramesh landed in the narrow gap between two buildings where loose soil had been piled up, cushioning his fall and saving his life.

www.indiatoday.in

 

[Dotta]

"Crashed aircraft ​

completed two flights before taking off for London Gatwick, ​

regulator says.​

India’s aviation ministry confirmed
that the Air India Boeing 787-8 that crashed on 12 June
had completed two earlier flights,
Paris to Delhi and Delhi to Ahmedabad,
without issues before crashing shortly after takeoff en route to London.

The Indian aviation regulator said on Tuesday
that Air India’s Dreamliner had no major safety flaws
but flagged maintenance and coordination issues.

What do investigators mean when they say that 'emergency power was likely active' before the crash?​

On airplanes,
there is a backup system called emergency power
that turns on
only if something goes seriously wrong.

In the case of Air India Boeing Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad last week,
people familiar with the probe told the Wall Street Journal
that the emergency system was activated before the crash
which meant that it is likely that both engines failed or that the plane lost some important systems that would have helped in giving it thrust.

Having the emergency power active means
that something may have gone very wrong right after the takeoff.

It doesn’t, however,
prove exactly what caused the crash,
but it’s a big clue for the investigators."

Air India latest: Investigators find major emergency power clue for crash

Indian aviation regulator finds no major safety flaws in Air India Dreamliners but flags maintenance and coordination issues

www.independent.co.uk

 

[indicolite22]

A new possible origin of double engine failure has been suggested by some (at least two) aviation pros:

In a detailed YouTube breakdown, Scheibner explored what might cause both engines on a modern jet to fail at once—pointing to airflow issues, fuel contamination, or vapor lock as the most plausible scenarios.

‘Whatever hit one engine, hit both’: Aviation expert flags '100 billion to one' cause in Air India disaster - BusinessToday

In a detailed YouTube breakdown, Scheibner explored what might cause both engines on a modern jet to fail at once—pointing to airflow issues, fuel contamination, or vapor lock as the most plausible scenarios.

www.businesstoday.in

By vapor lock they mean vaporized fuel. In the meantime, on the pilot forum pprune they aren't favoring any theories until more official information is known.

 

[indicolite22]

“Lot of Air India flights getting cancelled recently due to technical snags, after the 12th June accident. Pilots hopefully have stopped accepting the aircraft’s with so many MEL’s each flight. It increases their workload immensely," the YouTuber (a former pilot) wrote.

“Everyone knows that the “Red" airline is being dispatched on minimum equipment’s. 90+ MEL’s every flight. DGCA should step in and stop this," he added.

Gaurav Taneja Lauds Air India Pilots For Refusing Unsafe Flights: 'DGCA Should Step In'

It should be noted that Gaurav Taneja is also a former pilot, who has been vocal with regard to aviation safety issues.

www.news18.com

Google AI about MEL:

In aviation, "MEL" stands for Minimum Equipment List. It's a document specific to each aircraft type that outlines which pieces of equipment or systems can be inoperative while still allowing the aircraft to operate safely, provided certain conditions are met. This allows flights to continue despite minor malfunctions, without compromising safety.

 

[Dotta]

"Air India faces disruptions ​

as crash prompts deeper checks ​

and flight delays.​

Air India is facing disruptions
following last week’s fatal crash
as additional safety inspections on its Dreamliner fleet have led to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety.

India’s aviation safety regulator ordered deeper checks on Boeing 787 aircrafts operated by the airline.

The precautionary inspections,
as well as the closure of airspace in some Middle Eastern countries,
have strained Air India operations across domestic and international routes.

Since the crash,
Air India has cancelled operations for 83 wide-body flights,
including 66 Dreamliners,
according to data shared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, India’s aviation safety regulator.

In a statement late Wednesday,
Air India said
wide-body aircraft service would remain curtailed by 15% until mid-July."

Air India faces disruptions as crash prompts deeper checks and flight delays

Air India faces disruptions following last week’s fatal crash as additional safety inspections on its Dreamliner fleet lead to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety.

apnews.com

" 'There is a cascading impact operationally.
We are being extra cautious and doing extra checks beyond the usual',
a company executive said.

The company on Tuesday announced
cancellation of multiple flights,
including one from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.
Another from Delhi to Paris was cancelled as a mandatory pre-flight check identified an unidentified issue, the airline said in a statement."

Air India faces turbulence as plane crash prompts deeper checks and disruptions

Air India faces fresh turbulence following last week’s fatal crash as additional safety inspections on its Dreamliner fleet lead to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety

abcnews-go-com.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1935437708651790818

 

[PrairieWind]

"Air India faces disruptions ​

as crash prompts deeper checks ​

and flight delays.​

View attachment 596230

Air India is facing disruptions
following last week’s fatal crash
as additional safety inspections on its Dreamliner fleet have led to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety.

India’s aviation safety regulator ordered deeper checks on Boeing 787 aircrafts operated by the airline.

The precautionary inspections,
as well as the closure of airspace in some Middle Eastern countries,
have strained Air India operations across domestic and international routes.

Since the crash,
Air India has cancelled operations for 83 wide-body flights,
including 66 Dreamliners,
according to data shared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, India’s aviation safety regulator.

In a statement late Wednesday,
Air India said
wide-body aircraft service would remain curtailed by 15% until mid-July."

Air India faces disruptions as crash prompts deeper checks and flight delays

Air India faces disruptions following last week’s fatal crash as additional safety inspections on its Dreamliner fleet lead to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety.

apnews.com

" 'There is a cascading impact operationally.
We are being extra cautious and doing extra checks beyond the usual',
a company executive said.

The company on Tuesday announced
cancellation of multiple flights,
including one from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.
Another from Delhi to Paris was cancelled as a mandatory pre-flight check identified an unidentified issue, the airline said in a statement."

Air India faces turbulence as plane crash prompts deeper checks and disruptions

Air India faces fresh turbulence following last week’s fatal crash as additional safety inspections on its Dreamliner fleet lead to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety

abcnews-go-com.cdn.ampproject.org

"The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, said it did not find any major safety issues with Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, following an intensive four-day inspection prompted by a fatal crash last week.

However, the civil aviation regulator flagged concerns about recent maintenance-related issues that had been contributing to delays across the airline's network.

At least 13 international flights of Air India were cancelled and several others took off way behind the schedule on Tuesday primarily due to mandatory safety inspections of Boeing 787 aircraft.

Operational stress was compounded by weather-related disruptions, airspace restrictions, and crew duty-time limitations, all of which added further strain to the airline's wide-body network."

'If The Checks Find Anything Even Slightly Off...'

'...rectification has to happen then and there, and that takes additional time.'

www.rediff.com