Air India Flight Ahmedabad To London Crashes With 242 Onboard: Know All About 787 Dreamliner Aircraft

Air India's flight from Ahmedabad to London crashed on Thursday, soon after taking off. According to the reports, 242 people were onboard, including Gujarat's former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Rescue teams are trying their best to save lives, and the injured were transported to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.

Know All About Dreamliner Aircraft and Accidents In Past:

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is recognised for its strong safety record in global aviation. Despite its extensive use, it has faced some technical challenges. Notably, as of June 2025, there have been no fatal crashes involving this aircraft model.

In 2013, a significant issue arose with the Dreamliner's lithium-ion batteries. Overheating led to fires in both the main and auxiliary power unit (APU) batteries. This problem affected airlines like Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways. Consequently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded the entire global fleet in January 2013, marking the first such order in over three decades. Boeing addressed this by redesigning the battery system for improved containment and monitoring, allowing flights to resume by April 2013.

Technical Challenges and Resolutions

Another incident occurred on July 12, 2013, when an Ethiopian Airlines 787 caught fire at Heathrow Airport. The fire was traced back to the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), not the batteries. Although the aircraft sustained heavy damage, it was repaired without any injuries reported.

United Airlines experienced several minor technical issues with their Dreamliners. These included electrical problems, engine shutdowns primarily linked to General Electric GEnx engines, and software glitches. Such issues led to precautionary emergency landings or return-to-gate events.

Recent Incidents and Ongoing Investigations

A more recent incident involved LATAM Airlines Flight LA800 on March 11, 2024. The flight from Sydney to Auckland encountered a sudden drop and violent movement that injured over 50 passengers. A suspected malfunction in the pilot's seat leading to unintended control input is being investigated as of mid-2025.

Common non-fatal issues reported with the Boeing 787 include windshield cracks and engine problems, particularly with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines requiring replacements or upgrades. Software bugs and cabin pressure issues have also been noted.

Safety Record and Improvements

The Dreamliner had its first flight in 2009 and entered service by 2011. Impressively, it has recorded zero fatal accidents or hull-loss incidents since then. Continuous engineering improvements have enhanced its reliability over time.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner remains one of the safest wide-body aircraft available for commercial service today. Past incidents were either technical faults or ground-based events without any loss of life.