In the wake of the tragic crash of Air India flight AI 171 near Ahmedabad, aerospace expert and former Deputy Director of the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Saligram J. Murlidhar, has suggested that fuel contamination could be a key factor behind the catastrophic failure.
Calling the crash “one of the most unfortunate incidents in India’s recent aviation history,” Murlidhar noted that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is a modern aircraft equipped with advanced safety and navigation systems, making such a crash highly unusual without a major technical fault.
Speaking to ANI, Murlidhar explained that the aircraft carried over 35 tons of fuel for its journey to London. Its failure to gain altitude shortly after takeoff indicated a serious malfunction, possibly affecting both engines. He ruled out a bird strike, saying, “Both engines are unlikely to be hit by birds simultaneously. That kind of failure pattern doesn’t align with bird strike behavior.”
Instead, Murlidhar pointed to fuel contamination as a more plausible cause. “If contaminated fuel was supplied, both engines would suffer similar performance issues—reduced thrust or power failure—preventing the aircraft from climbing and leading to a crash,” he said. “The fact that it had more than 35 tons of fuel likely caused the massive fireball on impact.”
Investigators are currently working to recover the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). Murlidhar outlined the process of data retrieval: “The memory card from the FDR must be mounted on a functional unit, the data downloaded and synchronized with cockpit voice recordings to determine the sequence of events leading to the crash.”
The ill-fated Dreamliner, operated as Air India flight AI 171, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a seasoned flyer with over 8,200 flight hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.
According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft took off at 1339 IST from Runway 23 and issued a Mayday call shortly after. Contact was lost soon after the distress signal, and the plane crashed outside the airport perimeter, sending up thick black smoke.
Of the 242 people onboard—comprising 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, 1 Canadian, and 12 crew members—only one passenger survived.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a formal investigation, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered safety inspections across Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet.
