India Considers Grounding Boeing 787-8 Fleet Following Fatal Air India Crash

A day after a plane crash in Ahmedabad, the Union government is considering whether to ground the Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 fleet, NDTV reported, citing sources on Friday.

The fleet may be temporarily suspended for a safety assessment of the American wide-body aircraft, the sources indicated, noting that discussions between Indian and U.S. authorities are ongoing.

"A call will be taken on the basis of a probe into the crash," the website quoted one of the sources as saying. Additionally, Air India could face examination over its maintenance protocols, the source added.

A London-bound Air India flight-AI 171, part of the Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 fleet crashed shortly after taking off on Thursday afternoon from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The flight had 230 passengers and 12 members of the crew.

The Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control claimed that it received a 'Mayday' distress call from the pilot as the aircraft lost altitude and plunged into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College in Meghaninagar.

Aviation experts suggested that engine thrust failure or a bird strike could be possible causes, based on available footage. Scenes from the crash site showed rescue workers retrieving bodies and transporting the injured, many with severe burns, to a nearby hospital.

Former pilot Ehsan Khalid explains possible causes of the Air India flight AI-171 crash: "Investigators will look for all the reasons behind the crash. There are just two reasons that I can look at... loss of power - if there is loss of power in an aircraft then it will do exactly what this aircraft did. Loss of power in both engines... so rare. Could it happen because of bird hit? Yes, it has happened before in Airbus 320. Could it happen because of technical malfunction? Yes.

These aircraft are electrical aircraft, they are run by software. Was there a software glitch that caused the aircraft power to reduce or go off? We don't know. The second thing is loss of lift. Loss of lift is the flap position - the flap being selected up. When the flap is selected up, the aircraft would lose lift by almost by 30 per cent."

In a statement, Boeing said: "We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected."

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range, wide-body jet used for intercontinental travel. Its design breakthrough promised 20% better fuel efficiency through lightweight composite materials and advanced electrical systems, according to a report in Reuters.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited the Air India plane crash site. He arrived at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport here and drove straight to the crash site in the Meghaninagar area. He was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.