Dreamliner Down: Air India's Troubled Safety Record
The crash of a Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad prompts a review of Air India's multifaceted safety history, a record marked by terrorism, systemic failures, and recurring tragedies.
As the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner worldwide, the crash of Air India Flight AI 171 in Ahmedabad calls into question the Air India Group's complex and turbulent safety record, a history stretching back almost one hundred years.
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From its origins as Tata Airlines in 1932 to its current configuration following the merger with Indian Airlines and its return to the Tata Group, India's flag carrier has experienced long periods of safe operation. However, it also faced catastrophes that left a mark on the industry. This history is not a simple list of incidents, but a reflection of evolving challenges in technology, security, and human factors.
The darkest chapter in Air India's history was written by terrorism. On June 23, 1985, Flight 182 named "Emperor Kanishka," a Boeing 747, was disintegrated in mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean by a bomb, claiming the lives of all 329 people on board. The subsequent investigation revealed the bombing was carried out by Canadian Sikh extremists and exposed grave flaws in baggage security protocols. The attack on Emperor Kanishka prompted a global overhaul of airport security measures.
A Complex History: Key Accidents of the Air India Group
- Flight 182 (Kanishka), 1985: A terrorist bombing that caused 329 deaths and changed global aviation security forever.
- Flight 855 (Bombay), 1978: The pilot's spatial disorientation following an instrument failure led a Boeing 747 with 213 people into the sea.
- Air India Express Flights (Mangalore 2010, Kozhikode 2020): Two runway overruns at "tabletop" airports that resulted in a combined 179 fatalities and exposed critical infrastructure failures.
- Flight 101 (Mont Blanc), 1966: A Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) of a Boeing 707 that left 117 dead, a disaster eerily similar to another company crash at the same location in 1950.
Infrastructure and Environment: The Danger of Tabletop Runways
Two of the most devastating tragedies of the modern era for the group occurred at its low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express, and starkly highlighted infrastructure deficiencies. The accidents in Mangalore (2010) and Kozhikode (2020) followed an almost identical pattern: a Boeing 737-800 overran a "tabletop" runway (one located on a plateau) during an unstabilized approach in adverse weather conditions.
These events, which cost 158 and 21 lives respectively, were not attributed solely to crew error. Investigations and subsequent analyses pointed to serious systemic failures, such as the lack of adequate Runway End Safety Areas (RESA) and the absence of an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS). The fact that the Kozhikode accident occurred a decade after the one in Mangalore raised serious questions about the slow implementation of lessons learned at India's high-risk airports.
The Critical Interface: Human Factors and Technical Failures
Even with technological advancements, the interaction between pilot and machine remains a decisive factor. The crash of Flight 855 in 1978 is a textbook case: the failure of an Attitude Director Indicator (ADI) at night and over the sea induced spatial disorientation in the captain, with fatal results for all 213 people on board.
AUTOR
Desde 2017, haciendo periodismo aeronáutico. Award-Winning Journalist: Ganador de la edición 2023 de "Periodismo de Altura", otorgado por ALTA. Facts don't care about your feelings.
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