Ahmedabad plane crash: What John Barnett and other whistleblowers warned about Boeing 787 Dreamliner?

Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operated by Air India, crashed on Thursday, shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad. The aircraft was bound for London Gatwick and was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members. A MAYDAY call was issued immediately after departure from Runway 23 at 1:39 PM IST. The plane went down just outside the airport perimeter. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control following the distress call.

The aircraft was captained by Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with over 8,200 hours of flying experience, supported by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours. Air India issued a statement confirming the incident and stated that further details would be made available following investigations.

The Boeing 787-8 model has faced repeated scrutiny over safety and production practices. In one documented case, aircraft with registration N819AN was repeatedly grounded earlier in 2025 due to hydraulic leaks and flap faults. These technical issues have led to cancellations and maintenance delays across operators using the model.

Sam Salehpour, a Boeing engineer with 17 years of experience, reported that the 787's fuselage was being fastened improperly. He described how workers forced misaligned sections together, creating stress that could lead to fatigue cracks. In inspections of 29 aircraft, he claimed 98.7 per cent had gaps exceeding allowable limits. Salehpour said his concerns were dismissed internally, and he was discouraged from pursuing the matter.

John Barnett, a former Boeing quality manager, had also raised several concerns . He alleged that under pressure to meet deadlines, workers were installing substandard parts, including from scrap bins. He further claimed that up to 25 per cent of the 787’s emergency oxygen systems could fail in flight. Barnett was found dead in suspicious circumstances in March 2024 in South Carolina during legal proceedings linked to a lawsuit he had filed against Boeing. Police however, ruled out his death as suicide.

Richard Cuevas, a contractor at Spirit AeroSystems, reported observing improper drilling of holes in the forward pressure bulkhead of 787s. He raised the issue with Boeing and Spirit in 2023 and was dismissed in early 2024. Cuevas filed complaints with two US agencies, alleging retaliation for flagging production defects.