An Internal Enigma: The Non-Mechanical Explosion Pattern of Air India Flight 171
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed 32 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 260 people and leaving one survivor. The tragedy, marked by inexplicable cockpit actions, a mysterious data packet, and 13 minutes of communication silence, has taken a new turn with a startling revelation: investigators have quietly reclassified the debris pattern as indicative of an “internal explosion” unrelated to mechanical failure. Combined with a flight engineer’s journal entry warning, “This jet doesn’t want to fly,” and satellite data showing transmissions on an unknown frequency, this finding suggests a complex, possibly unprecedented cause for the disaster. This article explores the evidence, theories, and implications of this reclassification, weaving together the latest investigative insights.
The Crash and Initial Findings
At 13:38:39 IST (08:08:39 GMT), Flight 171, registered VT-ANB, took off from runway 23, bound for London Gatwick with 230 passengers and 12 crew. Piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (15,600 hours) and First Officer Clive Kunder (3,400 hours), the aircraft reached 625 feet and 180 knots before disaster struck. Three seconds after liftoff, at 08:08:42 GMT, both fuel control switches moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF,” starving the engines. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” with the other replying, “I didn’t.” The ram air turbine (RAT) deployed at 08:08:47 GMT, signaling total power loss. The switches were returned to “RUN” at 08:08:52 GMT (Engine 1) and 08:08:56 GMT (Engine 2), but only Engine 1 partially relit before the crash at 08:09:11 GMT, 1.85 km from the runway, into B.J. Medical College’s hostel.
The preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), released July 8, 2025, ruled out fuel contamination and weather, noting satisfactory fuel samples and clear conditions. A data packet with a pre-crash timestamp and 13 minutes of “silence” during which the aircraft transmitted on an unknown frequency further complicated the narrative. The flight engineer’s journal entry from June 5, 2025, and their subsequent reassignment request hinted at pre-existing concerns, but maintenance records showed no major issues with VT-ANB.
The Non-Mechanical Explosion Pattern
The latest development centers on the debris analysis. Initially, investigators assumed the widespread wreckage—scattered across a 1,000 x 400-foot field, with the fuselage burned and fragmented across five buildings—was due to impact and post-crash fire. However, forensic examination revealed an “internal explosion pattern” reclassified as “non-mechanical.” Unlike mechanical failures, such as engine or hydraulic system malfunctions, this pattern suggests an explosive event originating within the aircraft, possibly in the cargo hold, avionics bay, or passenger cabin, unrelated to the aircraft’s mechanical systems.
The Week reported that the fuselage was “burned and scattered farthest from the point of impact,” with the tail, right engine, and landing gear embedded in separate structures. The AAIB noted that the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) air inlet door was open and intact, and the left engine struck a building at ground level, exposing internal rebar. Crucially, the aft Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) sustained severe thermal damage, unlike the forward EAFR, which provided critical data. This disparity, coupled with reports from X posts by users like @rdchanchad, has fueled speculation about a lithium-ion battery fire, particularly as the lone survivor, Vishwaskumar Ramesh, reported hearing a “loud bang” seconds before the crash.
The Lithium-Ion Battery Hypothesis
Posts on X by @Ajitkumar_Kanan and @MartyMulder2002 have suggested a lithium-ion battery fire as a potential cause, noting the aft EAFR’s thermal damage despite less impact exposure. Lithium-ion batteries, common in passenger electronics or cargo, can ignite if damaged or improperly handled, producing intense, localized heat. The Boeing 787 faced battery-related issues early in its history, with groundings in 2013 due to fires in its lithium-ion battery systems, though these were resolved through redesign. The AAIB has not confirmed a battery fire, but the “non-mechanical” classification aligns with such a scenario, as it would originate outside the aircraft’s propulsion or control systems.
The flight engineer’s journal entry, “This jet doesn’t want to fly,” and their reassignment request may indicate awareness of a cargo or electrical issue. The unknown frequency transmissions, detected via satellite, could reflect a compromised electrical system attempting to send diagnostic data. The AAIB is investigating the cargo manifest, focusing on hazardous materials, and analyzing the tail section, where the aft EAFR and APU are located, for signs of a contained electrical fire.
Alternative Theories
Other theories persist. The fuel control switches’ movement remains a focal point, with their locking mechanisms designed to prevent accidental activation. The 2018 FAA bulletin on disengaged locks in Boeing 737 switches, also used in the 787, was not acted upon by Air India, but no defects were reported since the 2023 throttle module replacement. Pilot error is considered unlikely due to the CVR’s confusion and the pilots’ experience, though The Wall Street Journal suggested Sabharwal, the monitoring pilot, may have acted. The Federation of Indian Pilots has rejected this as speculative.
A FADEC malfunction could explain the pre-crash data packet and switch movement, but no mechanical faults were found in post-crash inspections of Air India’s 787 fleet. Sabotage, proposed by some experts like Neil Hansford, is another possibility, though no evidence supports it. The “non-mechanical” explosion pattern shifts focus away from pilot action or engine failure, pointing to an internal event—potentially a battery fire, cargo explosion, or electrical fault.
Investigative Challenges and Implications
The AAIB, with Boeing, GE Aerospace, and international experts, faces a complex task. The aft EAFR’s thermal damage complicates data retrieval, and the unknown frequency transmissions suggest an undocumented system behavior. The engineer’s journal and the survivor’s report of a “loud bang” are critical leads, but the absence of a full CVR transcript and cargo details hinders conclusions. Simulator tests by Air India pilots found no scenario matching the crash except a dual engine failure at low altitude, an event untrained for below 400 feet.
The reclassification of the debris pattern as “non-mechanical” has significant implications. If a lithium-ion battery or hazardous cargo is confirmed, it could prompt global scrutiny of cargo regulations and battery safety on the 787. The tragedy’s human toll—260 lives, including cabin crew member Maithili Patil and ground victims—underscores the urgency. The sole survivor, Ramesh, escaped through an emergency exit, but 19 ground victims perished in the fire that engulfed five buildings.
The Path Forward
The AAIB’s final report, expected within a year, may be delayed by the investigation’s complexity. The “non-mechanical” explosion pattern, combined with the engineer’s warning, the unknown frequency, and the data packet, suggests a multifaceted cause. As investigators analyze the tail section, cargo, and electrical systems, the aviation world awaits answers to prevent future tragedies. For now, Flight 171’s final 32 seconds remain a haunting puzzle, with an internal explosion adding a new, unsettling dimension to one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters.
