Ahmedabad Air India Plane Crash: Doesn't Look Like Pilot Error To Me, Says Former Boeing Engineer Mirza Faizan

In one of the deadliest aviation tragedies in recent Indian history, a London-bound Air India flight crashed minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing all 241 people on board.

Aerospace scientist and aviation expert Mirza Faizan, based in Dallas, Texas, and a former Boeing engineer who worked on the avionics of the 787 from 2004 to 2007, has offered critical insights into the disaster. In a Zoom interview with Oneindia English Editor Pankaj Mishra, Faizan said the crash does not appear to be the result of pilot error. Instead, he pointed to a likely failure in the aircraft's propulsion system-specifically, the engines. Preliminary signs suggest both engines may have lost power mid-air. Although the aircraft eventually crashed, it appeared to remain under control for some time, indicating the flight control systems were functioning properly.

Faizan emphasized the need to examine the plane's maintenance history, suggesting that improper upkeep could be a major factor. He also raised the possibility of a collapse in the fuel system, which may have led to engine shutdown. He said the pilot made every possible effort to handle the situation, which likely escalated too quickly to recover from.

Commenting on the broader aviation context, Faizan referenced recent whistleblower allegations against Boeing and noted the company's increasing scrutiny over its rushed production timelines. Drawing from personal experience, he stressed that he had worked directly on the Boeing 787 systems and was familiar with how such failures could unfold. He welcomed the U.S. proposal for a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation, calling it the most credible agency in the world for aviation disaster analysis. According to him, this crash has come at an especially difficult time for Boeing, which is already facing global criticism over safety standards.

The aircraft, Air India flight AI-171, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon and crashed shortly after in the Meghaninagar area. The plane burst into flames upon impact. Fire and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to douse the blaze, confirmed fire officer Jayesh Khadia.

The crash claimed the lives of 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Among the dead was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, whose death was officially confirmed by the state government. He becomes the second former CM of Gujarat to die in an air disaster, after Balwant Rai Mehta, who was killed in 1965 when his aircraft was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force during the Indo-Pak war.

Authorities are now focused on retrieving black box data, reviewing technical logs, and collaborating with international experts to identify the exact cause of the tragedy.