May 2025 Crash Under Scrutiny: A prominent US aviation attorney and former top transportation watchdog has pointed to a known Boeing 787 software malfunction as the likely cause of the deadly Air India Flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad last month, which claimed 274 lives.
Software Failure Suspected: Mary Schiavo, former Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation and now an aviation attorney, told The Sunday Guardian the May 2025 crash shortly after takeoff may have resulted from a dual engine thrust rollback triggered by a software glitch. Schiavo stated this specific malfunction had been documented and investigated in prior 787 incidents.
Focus on FADEC System: Schiavo identified the Thrust Control Malfunction Accommodation (TCMA) system, part of the 787's Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC), as the potential culprit. This computer system can automatically reduce engine thrust if it erroneously senses the aircraft is on the ground. Such a mid-air misclassification could cause catastrophic power loss, potentially explaining the AI-171 tragedy.
Echoes of Past Problems: Schiavo drew parallels to a 2019 Japan Air Nippon Airways (ANA) incident where the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed a dual-engine rollback was caused by a software flaw. Corrective actions were mandated, but Schiavo questions if these fixes were universally implemented across the 787 fleet. She also compared Boeing's handling to the 737 MAX MCAS crisis, suggesting 787 risks may have been overshadowed and not fully resolved.
Call for Rigorous, Independent Probe: Emphasizing the need for transparency, Schiavo urged India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct a fiercely independent investigation. "Investigators need to examine not just what Boeing has provided, but also what it hasn’t," she stressed. This includes scrutinizing transmitted aircraft health data, maintenance logs, software update compliance, and prior alerts accessible to both Air India and Boeing.
Advice for Families: Schiavo advised grieving families to demand consistent updates, noting their exclusion from official investigations despite Boeing's involvement. "Family pressure helps ensure accountability," she stated, highlighting the struggle for answers faced by relatives of the victims.
Disclaimer:
Only the headline and image of this report may have been modified by the
PulseNext team; the rest of the content is auto generated from a syndicated
feed.
0 Comments