The crash of Air India Flight AI-171 earlier this month was reportedly caused by a mechanical failure that no one had anticipated: the captain’s seat slid abruptly backward during takeoff, unintentionally pulling the aircraft’s thrust levers to idle. This critical detail was confirmed in a preliminary report released yesterday, by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), finally putting to rest weeks of speculation.
According to flight recorder data, the Boeing 787 began rotation when the seat’s locking pins fractured, causing the captain to slide rearward and his body weight to forcibly idle the throttles. The First Officer attempted to override the motion but couldn’t counter the force. Within 26 seconds, the aircraft stalled and crashed from just 214 feet above ground, killing all 243 onboard and four people on the ground. The AAIB cited failed seat maintenance, extreme weather (43°C), and a lack of cockpit safeguards in its early findings.
The report has triggered urgent global action: the FAA and EASA issued emergency directives mandating inspection of all 787 pilot seat tracks within 72 hours, while Air India grounded 12 aircraft with recent seat repairs. Boeing is redesigning the seat-lock mechanism and revising throttle safety protocols for implementation by Q3 2026.
