Explained: What is Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Jet model behind Air India crash in Ahmedabad?

Boeing 787 has a solid safety record with no fatal crashes. The company said it’s aware of the Ahmedabad crash and is gathering more information.

AI171, an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight, bound for London Gatwick with 242 people on board, crashed during take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon, in what is being described as one of the most serious aviation accidents involving the US planemaker’s most advanced widebody aircraft.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (AI171) could be seen from afar, losing altitude rapidly and crashing in a ball of fire that sent plumes of thick black smoke spiralling up in the air.(PTI)

The plane had flown into Ahmedabad from New Delhi, which serves as Air India’s main hub and engineering centre.

The London-bound flight was operated in partnership with Singapore Airlines under a codeshare agreement, as reported previously by Hindustan Times. This accident also marks the first full hull loss of a Dreamliner since the aircraft entered commercial operations.

Follow live updates on Air India crash in Ahmedabad

All you need to know about Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

• The aircraft involved in the crash was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, registered as VT-ANB, which entered service in December 2013. It is one of 27 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners in Air India’s fleet. Boeing said it is aware of initial reports of the plane crash in Ahmedabad and is working to gather more information. The company said in a brief statement: “We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information.” The crash caused Boeing shares to tumble in pre-market trading, according to the Associated Press.
• According to Reuters, Boeing’s 787 is a newer series of jets with a solid safety record and no fatal crashes. While battery issues once grounded the fleet, no injuries were reported. The 787 is Boeing’s most advanced in-service aircraft and is popular with airlines because it is more fuel efficient due to its use of lightweight composite materials.
• The crash occurs days before the opening of the Paris Air Show, a major aviation expo where Boeing and its European rival, Airbus, will showcase their aircraft and battle for jet orders from airline customers. 
• Boeing has been in recovery mode for more than six years after Lion Air Flight 610, a Boeing 737 Max 8, plunged into the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board. Five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 Max 8, crashed after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing 157 passengers and crew members. 
• Boeing has been involved in several accidents in recent years, including two fatal crashes with Lion Air Flight 610 on October 29, 2018, and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, 2019. Early last year, a nearly-new 737 Max aircraft lost a door panel during flight. While there were no fatalities, the accident plunged the company into a deep crisis. 
• The aircraft involved in Thursday’s accident carried the VT-ANB registration and was almost 12 years old. The plane was powered by two General Electric Co. GEnx engines. Air India operates 34 Boeing 787 aircraft, according to data from aviation consultant Cirium. Their age ranges from just over 2 years to nearly 14, with most more than a decade old. In all, the airline has 192 Boeing and Airbus SE jetliners in its fleet. In 2023, the Tatas signed a massive 470-plane order to refresh the ageing models they inherited with new planes and position the airline for growth.
• Based on the number of people on board, this would be the worst commercial airline crash since MH17 in 2014, which was shot down over Ukraine, killing 298 people, according to Aviation Safety Network, which tracks fatal crashes. 
• The last crash of this magnitude for Air India was Flight 182 in 1985. The Boeing 747 aircraft was destroyed by a bomb over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 329 people on board.

(With inputs from agencies)