Air India Ahmedabad crash: Investigators probe haunting parallels with 2020 Gatwick near-disaster

Investigators probing the deadly crash of Air India flight AI-171 are drawing unsettling parallels to a similar near-tragedy at London’s Gatwick airport five years ago, as early evidence suggests a sudden power failure just seconds after takeoff doomed the Dreamliner.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after lifting off from Ahmedabad for London Gatwick on June 12, plummeting from an altitude of just 625 feet and slamming into a medical hostel building. All 242 people on board, except one, were killed.

Experts from the UK’s Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB), who are assisting Indian investigators on site, are closely examining a 2020 Gatwick incident involving an Airbus A321 that suffered dual engine failure from fuel system contamination — a scenario that bears disturbing similarities to the Ahmedabad crash.

“Visual inspection of the wreckage, air traffic control (ATC) records, and takeoff footage clearly suggest a power failure of the main electric system almost immediately after liftoff,” a senior investigator was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

The rapid sequence left little room for corrective action. The Dreamliner’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT), designed to restore partial power in emergencies, couldn’t deploy effectively as the aircraft hadn’t reached sufficient altitude.

Both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder — key to unlocking the aircraft’s final moments — have been recovered but were damaged in the impact. Investigators are considering sending the black boxes to the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for advanced data extraction.

“At this stage, cockpit error seems unlikely,” the officer said. “The pilots appear to have attempted manual control but simply lacked the altitude cushion to maneuver.”

The Boeing 787 is equipped with sophisticated redundancy systems allowing it to fly safely on a single engine or even operate manually after hydraulic failures. But in this case, the sudden and total loss of electrical power during a critical climb phase left the crew powerless.

Investigators are now scouring the technical logs of AI-171 for any anomalies recorded during its previous flights. The aircraft had completed multiple long-haul journeys—from Paris to Delhi, and a round trip to Tokyo—in the 48 hours before the fatal crash.

“We are analyzing whether previous pilots or engineers reported any thrust issues or Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor (ECAM) warnings. Even minor inconsistencies could offer vital clues,” the officer said.

While sabotage has been tentatively ruled out, investigators are focusing heavily on possible fuel contamination—particularly water in the fuel system, a leading cause of in-flight power loss that often goes undetected until takeoff.

The February 2020 Gatwick incident now under review had similar roots. There, contaminated fuel caused both engines to stall after takeoff, forcing the plane to declare Mayday three times before safely returning. That aircraft had shown signs of engine trouble in prior flights, but engineers had cleared it to fly without extensive re-examination.

A forensic chemical analysis of the Ahmedabad wreckage is underway to detect any traces of contaminants in the remains of the fuel system. “The intense fire and explosion have made evidence gathering difficult, but any sign of water-induced corrosion or blockages could be critical,” the officer noted.

As this is the first major accident involving a Boeing 787, investigators are proceeding with extraordinary caution. “Nothing is being left to chance. The 787’s advanced electrical system is highly reliable, but any systemic failure—especially involving fuel—demands a comprehensive probe,” the official said.

The cause of AI-171’s catastrophic failure may ultimately hinge on whether the lessons of the 2020 Gatwick scare were fully learned—or tragically overlooked.