A preliminary investigation into the deadly June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, has uncovered a shocking mechanical failure that led to the disaster, which claimed 270 lives.
According to the report, the locking mechanism of the captain’s seat malfunctioned just 12 seconds after liftoff, causing the seat to slide backward. Quotes from cockpit transcripts reveal:
- +12 sec: Seat drifts back
- +15 sec: Co-pilot exclaims, “We’re losing thrust!”
- +26 sec: Aircraft stalls at 214 ft and plummets into a nearby medical college hostel
The seat’s unexpected movement forced the captain’s hands against the throttle levers, unintentionally pulling them to idle, resulting in engine thrust loss. The co-pilot’s efforts to counteract this were hampered by the captain’s reclined position obstructing access to the controls
Further analysis revealed critical design flaws in the Dreamliner’s throttle system, which lacks weight-based lockouts or reverse-motion protection to prevent such accidental throttle reductions.
In response, both the FAA and EASA have mandated emergency inspections of pilot seats across all Boeing 787 aircraft. Air India has grounded 12 Dreamliners with similar maintenance histories, and Boeing intends to redesign the seat-lock mechanism, with a targeted rollout by 2026.
Other cockpit vulnerabilities were also noted, such as the absence of “GO-AROUND” procedures and stab trim calls during the incident, and a lack of safeguards on the throttle levers
The official death toll stands at 270, including passengers, crew, and individuals in the building struck. The only known survivor is a British national
While the final report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected in July, this preliminary finding highlights a preventable failure that triggered swift corrective moves from regulators and manufacturers.
