Boeing 787’s emergency-power system likely active before Air India crash, WSJ reports

Published 06/18/2025, 03:42 AM
Updated 06/18/2025, 04:00 AM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A fire officer stands next to the crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, in Ahmedabad, India, June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo

(Reuters) -Investigators believe the Air India Boeing (NYSE:BA) Dreamliner had its emergency-power generator operating when it crashed last week in India’s Ahmedabad, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday citing people familiar with the probe.

Boeing said it will defer to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau for comment. Engine maker GE Aerospace did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

India’s federal civil aviation ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ email seeking comment.

Reuters couldn’t immediately verify the WSJ report.

The system, known as the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), generates electricity and hydraulic pressure to ensure pilots can control the plane even if both engines fail.

The preliminary finding raise questions about whether the plane’s engines functioned properly during takeoff, the report said. The Dreamliner was fitted with GE Aerospace’s GEnx engines.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people bound for Britain’s Gatwick Airport began losing altitude seconds after takeoff. All but one passenger died in the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade, with around 30 ground fatalities.

India’s aviation safety watchdog said on Tuesday that surveillance of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet revealed no major safety concerns.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2025 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.