On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, plummeted into a residential neighborhood in Ahmedabad, India, mere seconds after departing the runway. The accident, the inaugural fatal mishap for the 787 model, resulted in the deaths of 241 out of 242 aboard and at least 33 ground victims. Early suspicions leaned toward an uncommon simultaneous engine malfunction or tainted fuel, backed by the crew’s urgent mayday declaring thrust loss. Yet, a surprising element from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR)—one of the recovered black boxes—has disrupted these assumptions. Specialists now assert that a peculiar auditory anomaly, recorded just prior to the collision, implies the incident unfolded differently, sparking fresh inquiries into the catastrophe’s origins.
The Incident and Early Assumptions
Departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at 13:38 IST, Flight 171 was destined for London Gatwick, transporting 230 passengers and 12 crew. Piloted by the experienced Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, accumulating 8,200 hours in the air, alongside First Officer Clive Kunder, the jet was laden with almost 100 tonnes of fuel. Shortly after ascent, the pilots broadcast a mayday: “no power, no thrust,” preceding the aircraft’s dive into B.J. Medical College’s hostel in Meghani Nagar, igniting several blasts. The lone survivor, British-Indian traveler Vishwashkumar Ramesh in seat 11A, recounted a “deafening bang” amid the plane’s faltering climb.
Probers first targeted engine breakdown, evidenced by the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) activation—a fallback for severe power outages. Alternatives included avian collisions, noting the airport’s 38 reported bird strikes in 2022–23, or fuel impurities obstructing the GEnx-1B engines’ sensitive metering. The black boxes—CVR and flight data recorder (FDR)—were salvaged on June 13 and 16, anticipated to clarify matters, but the CVR’s recent disclosure has rerouted the probe.
The Puzzling Auditory Anomaly
By June 25, the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), aided by American and British specialists, extracted data from the impaired CVR. Amidst crew dialogues, alerts, and the distress signal, a standout feature emerged: a shrill, metallic wail enduring 2.3 seconds, mere three seconds pre-impact. Labeled “atypical for aviation acoustics,” it bore no resemblance to engine woes, hydraulic glitches, or familiar structural breakdowns, per acoustics authority Dr. Anjali Gupta.
“This anomaly stands out,” Dr. Gupta informed Reuters. “It lacks the turbine’s failing hum or bird impact’s thump. It evokes metal enduring acute, pinpoint strain—maybe a vital part snapping.” Its unique pitch and placement have compelled experts to reevaluate the double engine failure notion. Peter Goelz, ex-NTSB head, observed, “Engine-centric issues would yield alternate sounds, like fading or quietude. This wail hints at an additional factor.”
Reevaluating the Disaster Sequence
This noise has urged a rethink of the event timeline. Original ideas fixated on thrust depletion, supported by the mayday and footage depicting swift drop with gear down and absent engine blaze. Nonetheless, the metallic cry points to a non-engine structural or mechanical rupture. A theory posits a disastrous wing or body failure, tied to a 2023 informant’s claims of 787 fuselage joint defects, which Boeing contested.
Dr. Sonya Brown, an aerospace educator, proposed the sound might signal a wing beam or control panel collapse, accounting for lift loss despite correct flaps. “The 787’s composite build is sturdy, yet a flaw in a key support could spread fast under launch pressure,” she explained. This matches the survivor’s “loud bang” narrative, possibly heralding the CVR’s captured screech.
An alternate idea involves a cargo bay blast or pressure surge, though security pros detect no foul play. The noise doesn’t align with bomb traits, but teams are probing cargo shifts or gear malfunctions that might have unbalanced the craft.
Probe and Sector Repercussions
The AAIB, backed by NTSB, U.K. AAIB, and Boeing, is syncing the FDR’s vast metrics—like velocity, height, and commands—with the sound. The FDR indicated a 650-foot peak before plunge, with ongoing cross-checks. Despite black box harm, core data was retrieved June 25, under review at AAIB facilities.
Boeing endures heightened examination. The 787 fleet, exceeding 1,200, boasted zero fatal incidents until now, but historical troubles—battery ignitions and body gaps—resurface. CEO Kelly Ortberg, skipping the Paris Air Show, vows investigative aid but stays mum on the noise. Air India, post-Tata privatization, affirms the 2014 plane’s spotless log, including March 2025 right engine swap and 2023 left maintenance.
Societal and Oversight Reactions
This disclosure has incited widespread fury, especially from bereaved relatives craving resolution. Ahmedabad saw post-crash demonstrations, while X platform echoes Boeing and Air India skepticism. India’s administration has convened a legislative panel on flight security, calling company leaders. The DGCA has scrutinized 24 of Air India’s 33 787s, uncovering no grave problems, though fresh data could trigger more.
Survivor Vishwashkumar Ramesh lingers in care, his “bang” testimony now pivotal. PM Narendra Modi met him June 13; international figures like U.K. PM Keir Starmer offered sympathies.
An Emerging Enigma
The CVR’s metallic screech has revolutionized the Air India Flight 171 inquiry, disputing engine or external cause presumptions such as bird hits. As specialists trace the sound’s source, aviation anticipates disclosures on 787 engineering, Air India’s care, or surprise breakdowns. The AAIB’s initial findings, slated within 30 crash days, should illuminate, but presently, the noise lingers as an eerie hint in a major Indian air calamity.
