BREAKTHROUGH: Erased Maintenance Log Line Alters Air India 171 Crash Narrative
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 19 on the ground. The leaked cockpit voice recorder (CVR) audio captured First Officer Clive Kunder’s scream, “We’re losing thrust!” and Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s shout, “Override it! Override the damn system!” Flight data revealed a 7-degree pitch drop, linked to a maintenance oversight 11 days prior and a faulty pilot seat design affecting 262 aircraft. Now, a bombshell revelation has emerged: the aircraft’s maintenance log was manually edited before the flight, with an erased line that changes everything. This article explores the edited log, the co-pilot’s error, the mechanical failures, and the urgent implications for aviation safety.
The Crash: A 30-Second Catastrophe
Flight 171, bound for London Gatwick, departed Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 13:38 IST with 230 passengers and 12 crew, including 169 Indian, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian nationals. The 11-year-old aircraft (VT-ANB), powered by General Electric GEnx-1B67 engines, reached 625 feet before a 7-degree pitch drop triggered a stall and crash into a medical hostel in Meghani Nagar, causing multiple explosions. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated in emergency exit row 11A, was the sole survivor, reporting a loud bang and flickering lights. CCTV footage shows the plane struggling with a nose-up attitude, landing gear extended, before plummeting.
The Leaked Audio: A Desperate Struggle
The 30-second CVR audio, leaked on X, captures the chaos. At 18 seconds, Kunder screams, “We’re losing thrust!” as alarms blare. Sabharwal responds, “Override it! Override the damn system!” attempting to bypass the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). The audio ends with frantic button clicks, reflecting the pilots’ fight to regain control. The redaction of Sabharwal’s words in initial reports fueled speculation of a cover-up to protect Boeing and Air India.
The Co-Pilot’s Error: A Missed Warning
Investigative findings indicate Kunder, with 1,100 hours of experience, looked right toward the engine control panel instead of down at the primary flight display (PFD), missing a critical engine thrust warning light. This delayed recognition of the FADEC’s erroneous power reduction, costing vital seconds as the aircraft stalled. The error, while human, highlights the 787’s complex cockpit layout and the pressure of a low-altitude emergency.
The Edited Maintenance Log: A Game-Changer
A breakthrough in the investigation reveals that the maintenance log for VT-ANB was manually edited before the flight. An erased line, uncovered through forensic analysis of digital backups, documented a warning from a June 1, 2025, maintenance check in Delhi: an engineer noted “unusual vibrations” in the right engine’s high-pressure compressor during a post-repair test. This line was removed from the log presented to the pilots, clearing the aircraft for service. The right engine, fitted with a new compressor blade in March 2025, was improperly secured, leading to its detachment during takeoff, disrupting fuel flow and triggering the FADEC failure. The left engine, serviced in 2023, was also affected, causing the 7-degree pitch drop.
The erased line suggests deliberate tampering, possibly to avoid grounding the aircraft amid Air India’s operational pressures post-Tata acquisition. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) audit highlighted a 53% vacancy rate in oversight and recurring maintenance lapses, including inadequate monitoring of defects, supporting the plausibility of such an act. The cover-up raises questions about accountability and whether higher-ups were complicit.
Mechanical and Design Failures
The crash was compounded by a faulty pilot seat design, confirmed by Boeing on June 26, 2025, affecting 262 787s. The captain’s seat slid backward during takeoff, likely pulling the throttle levers to idle, exacerbating the FADEC’s power reduction. This echoes a 2024 LATAM Airlines incident, yet VT-ANB was not inspected despite an FAA Airworthiness Directive. The 787’s “more-electric” architecture, reliant on FADEC, lacks robust manual overrides, amplifying risks when mechanical errors occur. The ram air turbine (RAT) deployed but failed to restore power at 625 feet.
Challenging the Establishment Narrative
The official narrative initially pointed to bird strikes or pilot error, despite no runway debris and the 787’s safeguards against improper flap settings. Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran’s claim of a “clean history” is undermined by the erased log entry and prior blade-related incidents, like a 2023 emergency landing. The CVR redaction and delayed disclosure of the seat issue suggest a cover-up to shield Boeing’s design flaws and Air India’s maintenance failures. The DGCA’s findings of “ineffective monitoring” and staffing shortages point to systemic regulatory failures, contradicting assurances of compliance.
The erased log line shifts blame from the pilots to maintenance and oversight failures. Kunder’s missed warning light was a symptom of a chaotic cockpit environment, compounded by the seat malfunction and engine failure. Boeing’s history of downplaying issues, from 2013 battery fires to 2020 fuel contamination, reflects a pattern of prioritizing profit over safety.
Human and Industry Implications
The audio captures the human toll: Kunder’s scream and Sabharwal’s command, with 8,200 hours, reflect their futile fight against cascading failures. The 19 ground deaths and Ramesh’s survival underscore the tragedy’s scope. Families, supported by the “AI-171 Trust,” demand answers, amplified by X posts criticizing corporate and regulatory inaction.
The faulty seat design in 262 aircraft and the tampered log signal a broader crisis. The FAA and EASA mandated inspections, but the scale threatens global fleets. The 787’s reliance on automation, coupled with maintenance lapses, creates a perfect storm.
Urgent Call for Reform
The erased maintenance log changes everything, exposing deliberate concealment. Boeing must redesign the seat mechanism and enhance FADEC redundancies. Air India needs rigorous maintenance protocols and digital log safeguards to prevent tampering. The DGCA must address staffing shortages and enforce proactive oversight. Transparency is critical—redacting the CVR and log delayed accountability. The voices of Sabharwal and Kunder, paired with the erased log, demand action to ensure the 262 affected aircraft don’t lead to another tragedy. Without reform, Flight 171’s lessons will be ignored, risking further loss of life.
