Deep Dive 5

 

Systemic Failures and Missed Opportunities

The black box data underscores a cascade of failures. Air India’s maintenance practices, criticized for prioritizing schedules over safety, failed to address the recurring seat issue. A whistleblower told NPR that “quick fixes” were common, with the DGCA’s lax oversight allowing lapses to persist. The DGCA’s delay in mandating Boeing’s advisory bulletin left the defect unaddressed. Post-crash, Air India grounded 12 of its 33 Dreamliners for seat and engine checks, and the FAA and EASA issued emergency Airworthiness Directives for 787 seat tracks.

The crash site’s proximity to a hostel 300 meters from the runway, violating safety buffer standards, amplified the disaster’s toll. Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation safety expert, told The Hindu, “The black box confirms the seat triggered the throttle reduction, but ignored warnings and poor maintenance culture set the stage.” X posts, like @ShivAroor’s on June 25, highlight public frustration, with unverified claims from @evzulu alleging Air India withheld maintenance data.

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