The tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 has drawn international attention, not only for the tremendous loss of life but also for its potential implications for global aviation safety.
On June 12, 2025, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, reportedly carrying over 240 passengers on its way to Gatwick Airport in London, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing nearly everyone on board and causing additional casualties on the ground. This incident has been considered India’s most catastrophic air disaster since 2020.
Robert A. Clifford, a global leader in aviation litigation who has represented families in nearly every domestic and commercial aviation disaster since 1979, is among the voices shaping the early conversation regarding the crash. He and the Clifford Law Offices aviation team currently represent multiple families who lost loved ones in the tragic January 29, 2025, collision of a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Eagle regional jet above the Potomac River. Known for serving as Lead Counsel in the Boeing 737 MAX8 litigation following the Ethiopian Airlines crash in 2019, Mr. Clifford offers a wealth of both legal and technical insights into the discussion regarding the Air India disaster, especially as it involves another Boeing passenger jet.
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“A review of available video and eyewitness information indicate some form of power or flight control loss,” Mr. Clifford said in a press release, reflecting on preliminary visuals and accounts circulating in the immediate aftermath.
This loss of power or control, evident in the cellphone footage of the aircraft’s final moments, has caused experts to question whether the crash resulted from a mechanical failure rather than pilot error or environmental conditions. In an interview with NDTV, Mr. Clifford emphasized the critical importance of the aircraft’s black boxes, also known as the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, in uncovering the potential causes of the crash. Once recovered and analyzed, these devices will provide a detailed account of what happened in the cockpit and how the aircraft’s systems performed during the critical moments after takeoff.
“Every expert that I have already spoken with points to potentially mechanical problems. As you see in the replay of the video, the plane was not able to acquire adequate lift. So black boxes, the digital flight data recorder as well as the cockpit voice recorder, will be providing important information to the investigators that will help them determine the cause.”
While formal investigations into aviation matters can be a months-long process, international investigative groups from the U.S. and the United Kingdom have initiated the process in conjunction with Boeing and Indian authorities. In a press release distributed by Clifford Law Offices, Mr. Clifford explained how immediate action from Indian officials could lead to victims’ families and the public receiving some early answers.
“The Indian government investigators should have flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder information within a couple of days that will provide vital information to try to get to the bottom of this deadly tragedy.”
He also addressed the potential broader impact this crash could have on global aviation safety. “If it is a systemwide problem, there will be immediate alerts that go around the globe,” he told the press. Clifford Law Offices’ aviation team has been instrumental in pursuing policy changes directly related to deadly aviation disasters, initiating and advocating for systematic safety guidelines and regulations that hold corporations and government entities accountable for harmful conduct and protect the flying public.
Boeing is now facing renewed scrutiny, despite the 787 Dreamliner’s pristine safety reputation. In 2019, the Boeing 737 Max8 was grounded for two years following the second deadly crash in a matter of months. Similarly, in 2024, the Boeing 737 Max9 was grounded after a door plug blew out mid-air on an Alaska Airlines flight. Given Boeing’s history and the intense probes surrounding its aircraft, any indication of a systemic fault in the 787 Dreamliner’s design or systems would trigger urgent regulatory and safety responses from aviation authorities.
However, Mr. Clifford urges that conclusions cannot be drawn until investigations are complete. He shared with Business Insider that a quick and efficient investigation is necessary to “help calm the public” and provide important answers.
“The fact that this tragedy involves a Boeing aircraft does not necessarily mean that there’s something wrong with the actual aircraft — as distinguished from issues surrounding maintenance, or even products that are not Boeing’s, such as the engines.”
As the world watches and mourns the needless deaths of hundreds of passengers aboard Air India Flight AI-171, insights from leading aviation attorneys like Robert Clifford will continue to help inform both the public and a global aviation industry eager to understand what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening again.
