Boeing, whistleblowers, and the Ahmedabad air disaster: Questions remain

As the dust settles over one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in decades, questions are intensifying about who or what is responsible. With only one survivor out of the 242 people aboard Air India Flight AI171, which crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday, scrutiny has fallen sharply on both the airline and the aircraft manufacturer: Air India and Boeing.

Though the official investigation is ongoing, the tragedy has once again spotlighted Boeing's safety record, already under global scrutiny following multiple whistleblower allegations, aircraft defects, and a series of fatal crashes involving its popular models. The Air India aircraft involved in Thursday's crash was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, a wide-body jet that, until now, had a clean fatality record since entering commercial service in 2011.

A Pattern of Neglect?

This incident comes just months after Boeing whistleblower Sam Salehpour testified before the U.S. Senate about structural issues in the 787 and 777 programs. Salehpour alleged that Boeing compromised on safety by using improper assembly techniques to force fuselage sections into place, sometimes even having workers jump on parts to align them. These shortcuts, he warned, could cause catastrophic mid-air failures after repeated use.

Although investigators have not confirmed any link between Salehpour’s claims and the crash of AI171, the coincidence is troubling. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is currently probing the accident, while Boeing says it is "in contact with Air India" and stands ready to assist.

A History of Trouble: From MCAS to Manufacturing Defects

Boeing’s fall from grace has been long in the making. Once known for its obsessive engineering culture, the company’s 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas marked a shift toward shareholder-first priorities. Inspections were reduced, R&D stagnated, and cost-cutting took center stage. The 737 Max, a reengineered older airframe with newer engines, was rushed into service with minimal pilot training and a hidden new flight control system, MCAS, later blamed for the Lion Air crash in 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines crash in 2019, killing 346 people.

The aftermath led to a global grounding of the 737 Max, and despite software fixes and improved pilot training, the aircraft's reputation never fully recovered. Yet, Boeing’s troubles didn’t end there.

Whistleblowers, Deaths, and a Culture of Fear

Multiple Boeing insiders have come forward in recent years to raise red flags, often at great personal cost. Among them:

Joshua Dean, a quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, reported defects in the 737 Max’s aft pressure bulkhead. He died in 2024 from a sudden MRSA infection, weeks after raising concerns with both the FAA and his employer.

John Barnett, a former Boeing quality manager who alleged serious oxygen mask defects and quality lapses at the company’s South Carolina plant, was found dead from an apparent suicide in March 2024, just days after giving legal testimony.

Sam Salehpour, who said Boeing retaliated against him for highlighting dangerous gaps in fuselage joints and unsafe manufacturing practices, has been the most recent and vocal critic of Boeing’s so-called "production-first, safety-second" culture.

Salehpour's Senate testimony described an alarming culture of intimidation. “I was told to shut up. I was told not to create delays,” he said. In one case, a superior allegedly told him, “I would have killed someone who said what you said in a meeting.”

Air India’s Role Under the Lens

While much of the attention is on Boeing, Air India, recently acquired by the Tata Group, also faces questions. Was the aircraft maintained according to required standards? Were there any previous complaints logged by pilots or crew? And were any of Boeing's known structural concerns flagged internally?

So far, the airline has refrained from speculating, only confirming the aircraft was a 787-8 on a scheduled route from Ahmedabad to London. “Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders, and all affected,” Boeing said in a brief statement.

What Happens Now?

The DGCA, along with international aviation bodies, is expected to conduct a full investigation, including detailed inspections of the aircraft’s black box, maintenance logs, and production history. Meanwhile, calls are growing louder for greater transparency and accountability from Boeing, especially in light of recent whistleblower deaths and quality-control lapses.

The Ahmedabad crash, if linked in any way to the flaws highlighted by whistleblowers, could become a watershed moment for global aviation oversight. Regardless of the final cause, it’s already clear that both corporate culture and accountability in aviation are under the microscope like never before.