AI171 crash: Civil Aviation Minister announces high-level committee, Boeing 787 inspections
On 14 June 2025 at Udaan Bhawan in New Delhi, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu briefed the media on the Air India AI171 crash and the government's response.
Summary
Ram Mohan Naidu, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, briefed the media at Udaan Bhawan, New Delhi on 14 June 2025 on the crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flying from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick that crashed within a minute of take-off on 12 June. He said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) began a formal investigation the same day, and the aircraft's black box was recovered on 13 June at around 5 PM. A High-Level Committee chaired by the Union Home Secretary has been set up for an independent multi-dimensional review, to submit a report within three months and begin deliberations on 16 June. DGCA directed Air India to inspect all Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft fitted with GEnx engines; of the 33 Dreamliners in service with Indian carriers, 8 had been inspected.
Key facts
- Briefing
- 14 June 2025, Udaan Bhawan, New Delhi
- Flight
- AI171, Boeing 787-8, Ahmedabad–London Gatwick, crashed 12 June
- Black box
- Recovered 13 June, around 5 PM
- High-Level Committee
- Chaired by Union Home Secretary; report in three months; first meets 16 June
- DGCA order
- Inspect all Boeing 787-8/787-9 with GEnx engines; 8 of 33 Dreamliners done
Practice MCQs 4 questions
The High-Level Committee constituted after the Air India AI171 crash, announced on 14 June 2025, is chaired by whom?
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Correct answer: C — Union Home Secretary
PIB (Civil Aviation): a High-Level Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of the Union Home Secretary.
Within what period is the High-Level Committee on the AI171 crash to submit its consolidated report?
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Correct answer: A — Three months
PIB (Civil Aviation): the committee is to submit a consolidated report within three months.
Consider the following statements about the government's AI171 briefing of 14 June 2025: 1. The aircraft's black box was recovered on 13 June 2025. 2. DGCA directed Air India to inspect all Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft fitted with GEnx engines. 3. All 33 Dreamliners in service with Indian carriers had already been inspected. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 1 and 2 only
PIB (Civil Aviation): the black box was recovered on 13 June around 5 PM, and DGCA ordered inspections of 787-8/787-9 aircraft with GEnx engines, so 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong: only 8 of the 33 Dreamliners had been inspected. So the answer is 1 and 2 only.
On which date was the High-Level Committee on the AI171 crash scheduled to begin its deliberations?
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Correct answer: D — 16 June 2025
PIB (Civil Aviation): the committee is scheduled to begin its deliberations on Monday, 16 June 2025.