THIS JUST IN: Boeing Confirms 262 Aircraft Used Faulty Seat Design — Air India 171 Crash May Be Just the Beginning

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed 30 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, killing 241 of 242 onboard and at least 19 on the ground. A leaked cockpit voice recorder (CVR) audio revealed First Officer Clive Kunder’s scream, “We’re losing thrust!” followed by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s shout, “Override it! Override the damn system!” Flight data showed a sudden 7-degree pitch drop, traced to a mechanical failure from a maintenance oversight 11 days prior. Now, a bombshell revelation from Boeing confirms that 262 aircraft worldwide share the same faulty pilot seat design implicated in the crash, raising fears that Flight 171’s tragedy may be just the beginning. This article dissects the seat design flaw, the audio, the mechanical failure, and the looming crisis for aviation safety.

The Crash: A Devastating 30 Seconds

Flight 171, bound for London Gatwick, took off at 13:38 IST from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport with 230 passengers and 12 crew, including 169 Indian, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian nationals. The 11-year-old Boeing 787-8 (VT-ANB), powered by General Electric GEnx-1B67 engines, reached 625 feet before a 7-degree pitch drop led to a stall and crash into a medical hostel in Meghani Nagar, causing multiple explosions. The sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated in emergency exit row 11A, escaped with minor injuries after a loud bang and flickering lights signaled the disaster.

The CVR audio, leaked on X, captures Kunder’s cry at 18 seconds: “We’re losing thrust!” Sabharwal’s response, “Override it! Override the damn system!” suggests a desperate attempt to bypass the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system. Flight data confirms the pitch drop, linked to a maintenance oversight on June 1, 2025, where a high-pressure compressor blade in the right engine was improperly secured, causing a cascade of failures. Now, Boeing’s admission of a faulty seat design adds a chilling new dimension.

The Faulty Seat Design: A Hidden Danger

Boeing’s June 26, 2025, statement confirmed that 262 Boeing 787 aircraft, including VT-ANB, were equipped with a pilot seat design featuring a faulty locking mechanism. A preliminary report, initially dismissed as a hoax but now partially validated, suggests the captain’s seat slid backward during takeoff, inadvertently pulling the throttle levers to idle. This caused the sudden loss of thrust, aligning with Kunder’s scream and the 7-degree pitch drop. The seat’s uncommanded movement likely prevented Sabharwal from maintaining control, exacerbating the mechanical failure from the loose compressor blade.

The issue echoes a March 2024 LATAM Airlines incident, where a similar seat malfunction caused a Boeing 787 to dive mid-flight. Boeing issued a Service Bulletin, and the FAA mandated inspections via an Airworthiness Directive, but Air India’s VT-ANB, serviced in Delhi, was not inspected before the crash. The revelation that 262 aircraft share this design—potentially across multiple airlines—raises alarms about systemic risks. The lack of a “weight-lock” or “reverse torque” safeguard on the thrust levers compounded the issue, allowing accidental retraction.

Maintenance Oversight: A Compounding Factor

The mechanical failure originated from a maintenance error on June 1, 2025, when technicians improperly secured a compressor blade in the right engine, replaced in March 2025. During takeoff, the blade detached, disrupting fuel flow and sending erroneous signals to the FADEC, which reduced engine power. The left engine, serviced in 2023, was also affected as the electrical system failed to compensate, triggering the pitch drop. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) audit revealed a 53% vacancy rate in oversight, allowing such errors to go undetected. A 2023 Air India 787 incident involving a similar blade issue underscores recurring maintenance lapses.

Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran claimed VT-ANB had a “clean history,” but the DGCA’s findings contradict this, pointing to systemic weaknesses. The establishment narrative, emphasizing the 787’s safety record, downplays these lapses to protect Boeing and Air India’s reputation, especially after Tata’s 2022 acquisition of the airline.

The Leaked Audio: A Human Tragedy

The CVR audio humanizes the crisis. Sabharwal’s attempt to override the FADEC reflects his suspicion that automation was failing, possibly due to the seat-induced throttle reduction and the compressor blade failure. Kunder’s scream captures the terror of a 32-year-old pilot with 1,100 hours, while Sabharwal, with 8,200 hours, fought to save the plane. The audio’s redaction in initial reports, citing “sensitive investigations,” fueled speculation of a cover-up to shield Boeing’s design flaws and Air India’s maintenance failures.

Challenging the Establishment Narrative

The official narrative initially pointed to bird strikes or pilot error, despite Ahmedabad’s 462 bird strike incidents (2018–2023) showing no debris on the runway. The 787’s sophisticated protection systems should prevent takeoff with incorrect flap settings, debunking early flap-related theories. The seat design flaw, combined with the maintenance oversight, suggests a confluence of human and systemic failures, not pilot error. Boeing’s delayed acknowledgment of the seat issue, despite prior warnings, and Air India’s incomplete inspections reflect a reluctance to address known risks, prioritizing profit over safety.

The FAA’s Airworthiness Directive was issued post-LATAM, yet 262 aircraft remained uninspected, indicating regulatory lapses. Boeing’s claim of a “clean” 787 record ignores earlier issues, like 2013 battery fires and 2022 fuselage concerns, which, while addressed, highlight a pattern of downplaying risks.

Broader Implications: A Ticking Time Bomb?

Boeing’s confirmation that 262 aircraft share the faulty seat design is a wake-up call. The FAA and EASA have mandated emergency inspections within 72 hours, but the scale of the issue—potentially affecting multiple airlines—demands a global response. Air India grounded 12 aircraft with similar seat maintenance records, but the remaining 250 pose ongoing risks. The 787’s “more-electric” architecture, reliant on FADEC, lacks robust manual overrides, amplifying vulnerabilities when mechanical or human errors occur.

The crash’s human toll is staggering. Families, supported by Air India’s “AI-171 Trust,” demand accountability, while survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh’s escape underscores the randomness of survival. The 19 ground victims, including medical students, highlight the crash’s devastating ripple effects.

A Call for Urgent Reform

The Air India 171 crash exposes a trifecta of failures: a faulty seat design, a maintenance oversight, and regulatory lapses. Boeing must redesign the seat mechanism and enhance FADEC redundancies. Air India needs stricter maintenance protocols, addressing the DGCA’s staffing shortages. Regulators worldwide must enforce proactive inspections, not reactive directives. Transparency is critical—redacting the CVR delayed public awareness of these risks.

The voices of Sabharwal and Kunder, preserved in the leaked audio, echo the human cost of systemic flaws. With 262 aircraft at risk, Flight 171 may indeed be just the beginning unless the industry acts swiftly to prioritize safety over complacency.