India’s aviation regulator has directed Air India to carry out safety inspections on its Boeing BA 787-8/9 fleet, an order showed on Friday, Reuters said.
“As a preventive measure DGCA hereby directs M/s Air India to carryout following additional maintenance actions on B787-8/9 aircrafts equipped with Genx engines with immediate effect in coordination with the concerned regional DGCA offices,” said the official statement of DGCA.
Meanwhile, India’s aviation ministry confirmed Friday that one of the two black boxes—specifically the digital flight data recorder—was recovered from the rooftop of the wreckage.
Investigators are searching for answers after Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, killing 241 of the 242 people aboard.
The cockpit voice recorder, which could provide crucial insights into the crew’s final moments, remains missing.
Engine thrust a key focus area of investigators
Citing people briefed on the probe, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the investigation into the crash is focusing on whether the aircraft had a loss or reduction in engine thrust.
Investigators are examining whether the GE Aerospace GEnx-1B engines could have failed to generate the required power to lift the plane into a stable climb.
“The flight path after takeoff shows a slow rate of climb, before a rapid descent, suggesting a loss of power on takeoff, which would most likely be traced to the engines,” Investing.com cited Bernstein’s Douglas Harned as saying.
Aviation consultant Bob Mann added that the aircraft used almost the entire 11,000-foot runway before lifting off.
He noted that either engine misconfiguration or incorrect weight data input into the plane’s flight systems could have contributed to the crash.
“If the weight is low compared to the actual, you end up with not enough commanded power,” he said.
Mann however cautioned that his views were unofficial and not corroborated by data or cockpit voice recorders.
GE Aerospace, which manufactures the engines, saw its share price drop by nearly 2% during Friday pre-market trading.
Boeing shares were also down over 1% in pre-market trading.
Both companies have cancelled high-profile events following the tragedy—GE Aerospace pulled its investor day, while Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg cancelled his scheduled appearance at the upcoming Paris Airshow.
Market pullback of BA stock ‘overdone’
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has long been considered one of the safest widebody aircraft in operation.
Since its debut in 2011, nearly 1,200 units have been delivered.
Analysts point out that despite its solid track record, Thursday’s crash could prompt a re-evaluation of safety protocols and manufacturing standards.
Kristine Liwag of Morgan Stanley said, “Considering the long safety record of the 787 aircraft, investors view the market pullback of Boeing’s stock as overdone as the 737 MAX production rates improve.”
Morningstar analyst Nicolas Owens echoed this, stating, “Fatal aircraft failures are extremely rare, but no less tragic and alarming when they occur.”
Owens expects a lengthy, multi-agency investigation, potentially spanning months.
Morningstar maintained a fair value estimate of $242 for Boeing stock, which was trading at $203.75 on Friday.
Such inquiries may result in new safety recommendations across aviation operations, including software updates, manufacturing changes, or improved engine checks.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are all expected to participate in the ongoing probe.
The post Air India crash: airline ordered to inspect Boeing 787 fleet; probe on engine thrust appeared first on Invezz