Air India AI171 Crash Linked to Captain’s Seat Failure: Preliminary Report Released
👉🏼 A preliminary investigation report has been released regarding Air India flight #AI171, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, leaving only one survivor onboard. The report, published by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), identifies a mechanical failure in the captain’s seat as the primary cause of the accident.
👉🏼 According to the findings, the captain’s seat unexpectedly slid backward during rotation. The locking pins within the seat mechanism had fractured, causing the pilot’s body weight to inadvertently pull the thrust levers back to idle. The First Officer attempted to restore thrust but was unable to overcome the resistance.
📼 Data from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) revealed the following sequence of critical moments:
• +12 seconds: Captain’s seat slides back
• +15 seconds: Thrust drops
• Cockpit recordings capture: “My seat!” and “Thrust dropping!”
• +26 seconds: Aircraft enters aerodynamic stall
• +38 seconds: Impact with a medical college dormitory
🛠 Maintenance logs show the captain’s seat was serviced 11 days prior to the crash due to “stiff adjustment,” yet no post-repair functional test was recorded.
🛫 The report also highlights that the Boeing 787 lacks friction-locking or mechanical load compensation systems on its thrust levers — safeguards that could prevent unintended power reductions due to accidental physical interference. AAIB classified this as a design vulnerability that warrants further attention.
