Vienna-bound Air India flight dropped 900 feet mid-air hours after Ahmedabad crash; DGCA grounds pilots

India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has launched a formal investigation after an Air India flight from Delhi to Vienna dropped approximately 900 feet mid-air during its ascent on June 14, just 38 hours after the fatal crash of AI-171 in Ahmedabad.

The flight, AI-187, operated by a Boeing 777, took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport at 2:56 am. Soon after departure, it triggered a stick-shaker stall warning and multiple Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) “Don’t Sink” alerts, indicating possible loss of lift and dangerous descent.

The aircraft, however, was stabilized and continued to its destination, landing safely in Vienna over nine hours later.

While the incident did not result in injuries or damage, the DGCA grounded both the pilots and summoned Air India’s Head of Safety.

The flight crew has been off-rostered pending completion of a data analysis, which includes the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR).

The incident became public knowledge weeks later and follows a series of aviation safety concerns surrounding Air India operations in recent months. Sources indicate that turbulence and climb angle may have played a role, but the exact cause is under review.

Air India stated it had promptly reported the matter to the DGCA and complied with all safety procedures.

Following the June 12 Air India crash, DGCA launched an intensive night-time audit at Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Patna, uncovering wear-and-tear, unaddressed technical faults, and outdated runway infrastructure requiring swift correction.

The intensive inspections revealed multiple recurring defects on aircraft—ranging from worn tyres that led to flight delays to unserviceable thrust reversers and improperly locked flap or slat levers