India and Japan order safety checks on Boeing 787 fleets after fatal crash

In Japan, four airlines operate the type: ANA, Japan Airlines, ZipAir, and AirJapan, totaling 142 aircraft. Transport Minister Hiromasa Nakano stated at a press conference that necessary measures would be taken based on collected information and investigation developments.

The focus of the investigation into the June 12 crash includes engine thrust, flap settings, and landing gear retraction after takeoff. The accident involved an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating flight AI 171 to London Gatwick Airport. It crashed shortly after takeoff into a residential building causing additional fatalities on the ground. One British man survived among the total of 241 people on board.

India’s aviation authorities confirmed retrieving a black box from the crash site within 28 hours. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is analyzing data from two black boxes typically found in commercial aircraft: one records technical flight data while the other captures cockpit audio.

Despite this incident being Boeing 787’s first hull loss for Air India’s fleet, U.S. officials see no immediate need to ground these aircraft domestically. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau reviewed footage from the crash but found no evidence justifying suspension of operations for Boeing 787s in the United States.