Crashed Air India flight was due for full check in December; right-side engine overhauled in March: Officials

A crane removing aeroplane's tail from the wreckage after the June 12 Air India flight 171 crash, is pictured in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad

The ill-fated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft of Air India bound for London that crashed after take off from Ahmedabad airport had undergone comprehensive maintenance checks in June 2023 and was due for the next scheduled comprehensive checks in December this year, according to airline officials, as reported by news agency PTI.

Officials said to PTI that the Air India aircraft VT-ANB underwent its last round of comprehensive C checks in June 2023, with the next round scheduled for December 2025. These checks were carried out by AI Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL). The aircraft’s right engine, part of the GEnx series by GE Aerospace, was overhauled and reinstalled in March 2025, while the left engine underwent inspection in April 2025 in line with the manufacturer's guidelines.

According to the officials, there were no reported issues with the engines or the aircraft itself. Air India has not issued an official statement. Meanwhile, the DGCA on Friday directed enhanced safety inspections of Air India’s Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft. Air India confirmed on Saturday that the one-time safety checks are progressing as planned, with inspections completed on nine aircraft. The airline currently operates 26 Boeing 787-8 and seven Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

On Friday, GE Aerospace said it supports the action being taken by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for enhanced safety inspections of the Air India 787-8/9 fleet. ”We continue to work closely with the appropriate regulatory and investigative agencies, and we are committed to providing all technical support necessary to understand the cause of this accident,” a GE Aerospace spokesperson had said in a statement.

Meanwhile, former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Friday said after three-and-a-half years of the takeover of Air India by the Tatas, the management needs to fine-tune various aspects of running a world-class airline, including maintenance. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the crash and a high-level multi-disciplinary committee has also been set up to examine the causes for the accident.

*With Agency Inputs