On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, suffered a horrific crash into an Ahmedabad residential zone mere 36 seconds after departure from India. The calamity, the inaugural deadly event for the 787, took 241 of the 242 onboard lives and at least 34 ground casualties. Early attributions pointed to dual engine breakdown, per the crew’s mayday on “no power, no thrust.” Yet, startling details from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) disclose: mere seven seconds before collision, First Officer Clive Kunder sought to bypass a key system, only for a bizarre glitch to foil it, astounding the Ahmedabad air traffic control. This disclosure disrupts prior assumptions and amplifies the enigma of a major Indian air disaster.

The Accident and Early Probe

Flight 171 ascended from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at 13:38 IST, en route to London Gatwick, bearing 230 passengers and 12 crew, featuring seasoned Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with 8,200 hours and 32-year-old First Officer Clive Kunder with 1,100 hours. Fueled with almost 100 tonnes, it hit 625 feet max before hurtling into B.J. Medical College’s hostel in Meghani Nagar, inciting blasts. Lone survivor, British-Indian Vishwashkumar Ramesh in 11A, noted a “deafening bang” at liftoff.

Black boxes—CVR and FDR—were secured by June 16 and dissected at Delhi’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Preliminary data affirmed flap setup and Ram Air Turbine (RAT) use, signaling acute power shortfall. Emphasis was on engine issues, maybe from birds or fuel taint, citing the airport’s 38 bird hits in 2022–23. But the CVR spotlighted a pivotal instant redirecting the inquiry.

The Co-Pilot’s Bypass Effort

Per a surfaced AAIB document, at 13:38:29 IST—seven seconds pre-impact—First Officer Kunder tried overriding the 787’s Electronic Flight Control System (EFCS), overseeing vital surfaces like ailerons and elevators. The CVR nabbed Kunder uttering, “Shifting to manual—EFCS bypass!” amid siren wails. This came post-mayday, where Sabharwal flagged thrust loss. FDR verified Kunder’s bid to detach EFCS, probably to seize manual helm over pitch and roll as the craft battled lift in nose-high, thrust-low drop.

The EFCS, core to the 787’s “electric-heavy” design, uses electric impulses over hydraulic lines, boosting accuracy yet heightening electric reliance. Kunder’s move implies suspicion of EFCS misreading or ignoring inputs to fix the descent. Analysts think he aimed to sidestep auto-controls for manual elevator tweaks to steady the jet, a frantic step at low 625 feet.

The Astonishing Glitch

Rather than yielding manual access, the bypass sparked an odd reaction: EFCS froze, nullifying yoke actions. CVR caught a piercing “system fault” alert and Kunder’s cry, “No response!” then Sabharwal’s frantic, “Max thrust, immediately!” FDR indicated unchanged surface positions despite inputs, hinting EFCS or power supply defect. This left the plane unmanageable, crashing seconds on.

Ahmedabad tower, tracking via radar, got the mayday and saw erratic moves. Post-mayday outreach yielded silence, as crew likely wrestled the EFCS flop. An unnamed tower staffer told The Times of India it was “completely jarring,” with radar depicting abrupt plunge sans follow-up talk, rare for a cutting-edge 787.

Ramifications and Hypotheses

The EFCS freeze baffles probers, given 787 redundancies against such. Fluid expert Dr. Jason Knight proposed an electric spike, tied to RAT, might overload EFCS to stall. “787’s electric focus risks odd chain reactions,” he shared with Sky News. Another idea: EFCS software bug, linked to 2023 Boeing note on sporadic data lapses in Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders, sharing electric framework with EFCS.

This upends engine-centric views. Though RAT and mayday suggest power dip, EFCS issue signals wider system woe. National Security Guard dismissed terror, but teams eye upkeep lapse or build flaw. Air India’s “spotless” logs, per Tata Sons Chair N. Chandrasekaran, are probed, especially after subtle electric quirks on June 11 Tokyo-Delhi run.

Tower’s Astonishment and Ongoing Inquiry

Tower’s dismay arose from sudden radio quiet and radar’s near-perpendicular fall. “Anticipated pull-up or glide,” the staffer noted, stressing 787’s single-engine capability. Tower records, now AAIB-integrated, affirm no post-mayday crew chat, stressing crisis pace. AAIB, with NTSB, U.K. aid, Boeing, and GE, dissects EFCS code and electrics.

DGCA audited 24 of Air India’s 33 787s, spotting no big problems, but EFCS mishap urges full-fleet electric scans. Probe, eyeing 30-day prelim report, grapples with Indian agency staff shortages—54% DGCA slots empty.

Societal and Sector Repercussions

Disclosure fuels rage, with 279 victims’ kin seeking justice. X buzz shows eroding faith in Air India, Boeing; some claim hidden electric flaws. Survivor Ramesh stays in hospital, his “bang” matching possible EFCS sound. PM Narendra Modi pledges family aid; Tata’s Air India revival hits snags.

The co-pilot’s thwarted bypass and EFCS jam tarnish 787 safety. As probers hunt if anomaly or deep flaw, aviation pends revelations, shadowed by the fateful seven seconds of Flight 171.