A faulty locking mechanism in the captain's seat has been identified as the primary cause of the Air India Boeing 787 crash that claimed 270 lives, according to a preliminary investigation report released on Wednesday.
The tragic incident, which occurred on June 12 in Ahmedabad, was triggered when the pilot's seat unexpectedly slid backward during takeoff. This sudden movement caused the captain to inadvertently pull the throttle levers to idle position, resulting in a catastrophic power loss.
Critical Sequence of Events
According to cockpit data recovered from the crash site, the seat shift occurred just 12 seconds into the takeoff procedure. The aircraft subsequently stalled at a mere 214 feet above ground before crashing into a nearby residential building.
Investigators noted that the co-pilot's desperate attempts to regain control of the aircraft were severely hampered by the captain's reclined position, which created a chaotic situation in the cockpit during the critical moments after liftoff.
Safety Concerns and Immediate Actions
The investigation has also uncovered missing safety features in the Boeing 787's throttle system, prompting urgent directives from both U.S. and European aviation regulators. These directives call for immediate inspections of similar pilot seats across all Boeing 787 aircraft currently in service worldwide.
In response to these findings, Air India has temporarily grounded 12 aircraft pending comprehensive safety reviews. Boeing has committed to redesigning the seat mechanism by 2026, though questions remain about why such a critical safety issue wasn't addressed earlier.
Among the 271 people aboard the flight, only one person—a British national—survived the devastating crash. Authorities have not released further details about the survivor's condition.
The final and comprehensive report on the incident is expected to be published in July, which may provide additional insights into potential contributing factors and recommendations for preventing similar tragedies in the future.
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