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'I want to prevent a crash!': When a Boeing whistleblower, who exposed 'gaps' in aircraft, had warned of 'catastrophe'
The Air India plane that crashed minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday was a
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
, a model already under the shadow of a whistleblower's warning about 'gaps' in its structure.
The ill-fated aircraft, carrying 242 people — including 10 crew members — was headed for London's Gatwick Airport when it crashed into a residential complex just 30 seconds after departure. As rescue teams comb through the wreckage, questions are mounting about the aircraft's
structural integrity
— and a warning raised by a Boeing engineer last year — that 'this could lead to a catastrophic failure.'
'I'm not doing this to bring Boeing down… I'm doing this because I want to prevent a crash.' Those were the words of
Sam Salehpour
, a veteran Boeing engineer, when he addressed a press briefing in 2024.
'That's not how you build an airplane'
His formal whistleblower complaint to the
US Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) alleged shortcuts were taken on the factory floor — particularly when it came to filling tiny gaps in the aircraft's fuselage — which could undermine its structural integrity over time.
'That's not how you build an airplane,' Salehpour said, describing alarming practices where workers were 'jumping on aircraft parts' to force them into proper alignment.
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Boeing dismissed the complaints at the time. 'These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to assure long-term safety.'
The incident underscores longstanding worries about production practices on the 787 — a view first raised in 2021, when delivery of the aircraft was temporarily halted due to tiny gaps in the fuselage. Although Boeing insisted it addressed all issues, Salehpour alleged that problems remained.
Boeing Airplanes said it is in contact with Air India and is 'ready to support them.' 'We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected.'
The US FAA confirmed it was in communication with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and 'in the event assistance is requested, the NTSB is the official US representative and the FAA provides technical support.'
Aircraft 787 was considered a technological benchmark: Until now
The 787 has a spotless 14-year service record, having clocked millions of flying hours without a fatal this tragedy.
'It's a rare incident — the aircraft fell into a steady descent without the slightest maneuver, which would have been expected if it were a single-engine failure or a bird strike,' a former accident investigator said.
The aircraft is designed with extensive redundancy, including 6 electrical generators, 2 backup systems, 3 flight management computers and a ram air Turbine, all meant to keep it safely in the air even in cases of multiple failures. 'That's some serious redundancy. If the first two of them fail, a reboot takes place to avoid the same computation process to fail the third one," a 787 pilot told ET's Arindam Majumdar.
Furthermore, the 787's fly-by-wire technology, which utilizes electrical signals instead of mechanical controls, is meant to enhance flight control and safety. The US FAA previously certified it for Extended Range Twin Engine Operations (ETOPS), allowing it to fly over water and remote areas safely.
