A US-based aviation safety campaign group has alleged that the Air India Boeing 787 aircraft that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, suffered from multiple technical problems throughout its service life, raising questions about whether wider safety concerns linked to the aircraft type are being downplayed globally.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety (FAS) submitted a presentation dated January 12, 2026, to the US Senate, according to a Hindustan Times report citing people familiar with the matter. The submission outlines findings that the group says are based on documents in its possession and focuses on the aircraft registered as VT-ANB.
Claims of Early and Repeated System Failures
According to FAS, the records suggest the aircraft experienced system failures from its very first day in service with Air India. The group alleged the problems arose from what it described as a “wide and confusing” mix of engineering, manufacturing, quality and maintenance shortcomings.
The issues cited include electronic and software faults, repeated tripping of circuit breakers, wiring damage, short circuits, loss of electrical power and overheating of power system components. FAS said these problems persisted over the aircraft’s operational life, which spanned more than a decade.
Official Responses and Investigation Process
When asked about the allegations, a Boeing spokesperson said the company would defer to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), citing the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization protocol known as Annex 13. The civil aviation ministry declined to comment, while Air India did not respond to requests for comment.
Commenting on the AAIB’s preliminary report, FAS claimed the findings appeared to point towards pilot error, particularly in relation to fuel control switches. The foundation compared this to early investigations into the Boeing 737 MAX crashes, alleging a recurring pattern of shifting blame onto pilots.
FAS further claimed that Boeing’s 787 programme ran more than three years behind schedule and exceeded its budget by billions of dollars. It said it analysed more than 2,000 aircraft systems failure reports linked to the 787, covering around 18% of the global fleet of 1,235 aircraft, and argued this represented only “the tip of the iceberg”.
According to the group, the aircraft involved in the crash rolled out of the factory in late 2011, made its first flight in December 2013 and was delivered to Air India on January 28, 2014. Its first commercial flight took place on February 8, 2014.
FAS alleged that documents in its possession indicate system failures began when the aircraft arrived in India on February 1, 2014, and continued throughout its 11-year service life. These allegedly included repeated electrical failures, smoke and fumes, electrical surges and overheating of power distribution components.
As examples, the foundation claimed there was a fire in January 2022 in the P100 primary power panel, which it said caused extensive damage around the L2 bus tie breaker and associated wiring, requiring the panel to be replaced. It also alleged that in April 2022, the aircraft was grounded due to faults related to the landing gear indication system, after which several components were replaced, including a proximity sensing data concentrator module and a remote power distribution unit.
While the presentation included photographs, it did not attach supporting documents. The P100 panel is a critical power distribution unit located in the aft electronics bay, receiving power from the left engine and supplying electricity to several aircraft systems.
The foundation also claimed similar electrical system failures have been recorded in other Air India 787 aircraft, as well as in Dreamliners registered in the United States, Canada and Australia.
In its assessment, FAS said passengers and crew continue to fly on 787 aircraft without being aware of what it described as “ongoing public safety issues”. It alleged that Boeing, Air India and Indian government officials were withholding safety information and called for criminal investigations by US authorities.
The group also urged the US National Transportation Safety Board to share relevant information with the AAIB investigation team and called on the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate all reported 787 systems failures and carry out inspections across the global fleet.
