A massive fireball over Ahmedabad. That’s the image that won't leave the minds of anyone following the Indian plane crash update regarding Air India Flight AI171. It has been over seven months since June 12, 2025, when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people basically fell out of the sky just 32 seconds after takeoff.
Honestly, the numbers are chilling. 260 people dead. 241 on the plane—only one man, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, miraculously walked away—and another 19 people on the ground at the B. J. Medical College hostel. It is the deadliest aviation disaster India has seen in decades. Now, in mid-January 2026, the investigation is hitting a fever pitch with lawsuits flying across continents and a final report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) looming on the horizon.
The "One Second" Mystery and the Latest Findings
What actually caused a state-of-the-art Dreamliner to lose power? The AAIB's preliminary data is weirdly specific. It shows that the fuel supply to both engines was cut off within one single second of each other.
The fuel control switches moved from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" almost simultaneously. But why? This is where the blame game gets messy.
- The Boeing Defense: Boeing points toward the cockpit, suggesting the pilots might have accidentally hit the switches.
- The Pilot Advocacy: Lawyers for the families, including high-profile U.S. attorney Mike Andrews, argue the aircraft was "signaling something was wrong" before the crash, citing electrical flickers and Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment.
- The Fuel Switch Theory: A lawsuit filed in the U.S. specifically targets Boeing and Honeywell, alleging that faulty fuel switches are the real culprits.
The Indian government is trying to keep things quiet, but the Supreme Court has already had to step in regarding selective leaks of the preliminary report. Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu insists the process is "clean," but the industry is skeptical.
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Lawsuits are Crossing Borders
If you thought this would stay an Indian legal matter, you've got another thing coming. Just yesterday, January 13, 2026, news broke that Air India is facing a major lawsuit in the London High Court.
Eleven claimants are suing on behalf of the estates and relatives of the deceased. Why London? The flight was bound for Gatwick. Since many victims were UK-based or had ties there, the legal battle is going global. Simultaneously, 130 families have joined a mass action in the United States.
They aren't just looking for money. They want to know why a 13-year-old plane—relatively young in aviation terms—suddenly turned into a brick in the air.
Recent Incidents in January 2026
While everyone is focused on AI171, the last few days have been shaky for Indian aviation. It sorta feels like the sector can't catch a break.
- Odisha Crash-Landing: On January 10, an IndiaOne Air aircraft had to make a forced landing in a village near Rourkela. Six people were injured. Susanta Kumar Biswal, one of the passengers, is currently on ventilator support.
- IndiGo Bird Strike: A flight had to make an emergency landing in Varanasi just a couple of days ago. Luckily, everyone was safe, but it adds to the general sense of "flight anxiety" currently gripping the country.
- Air India Fuel Emergency: On January 8, a Boeing 787 flying from Amritsar to Birmingham had to declare a general emergency (Squawk 7700) because it was running dangerously low on fuel after being stuck in a holding pattern during Storm Goretti. It diverted to Heathrow and landed safely, but it was a close call.
The Industry is Bleeding
The Indian plane crash update isn't just about the tragedies; it’s about the business of flying. ICRA has revised its growth projections for the 2026 fiscal year down to a measly 0% to 3%.
Airlines are expected to lose somewhere between ₹17,000 crore and ₹18,000 crore this year. Pilot fatigue is the big talking point in the breakrooms at Delhi and Mumbai airports. New Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) were supposed to help, but their implementation has been a mess, leading to thousands of cancellations by IndiGo and others.
What You Should Watch For Next
The final AAIB report is the "Holy Grail" for the families and the industry. It’s expected later in 2026. Until then, if you're flying, here is what is actually changing:
Check the safety rankings. Interestingly, no Indian carrier made the "Top 25 Safest Airlines" list for 2026 released by AirlineRatings.com. This is a huge drop from 2025 when IndiGo was comfortably on the list.
Watch the "Duopoly." With Air India and IndiGo controlling over 90% of the market, the DGCA is under pressure to ensure safety isn't being sacrificed for profit.
Follow the U.S. Lawsuits. The technical evidence presented in the Boeing/Honeywell case in the States will likely be more transparent than the government reports in India. That's where we'll likely find out if the "fuel switch" issue is a fleet-wide problem or a freak accident.
Stay updated on the official DGCA and AAIB portals, as they are legally required to post safety directives if a specific part—like those fuel switches—is found to be defective across other Boeing 787s.