On Thursday afternoon, October 23, 2025, tragedy struck the skies over Ahmedabad as an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers, crashed into the B J Medical College complex in the Meghaninagar area shortly after takeoff. The devastating accident resulted in the loss of 265 lives, sending shockwaves through the aviation industry and sparking renewed scrutiny of Boeing’s flagship wide-body jet.
The aircraft involved, registered as Air India VT-ANB, was nearly 12 years old. According to Mint, this incident marked the first complete hull loss of a Boeing 787 since the model’s introduction more than a decade ago—a significant and somber milestone for a plane that has become a mainstay of long-haul fleets worldwide. With 1,148 Dreamliners in service globally as of October 2025, the model is a crucial source of revenue for Boeing and a workhorse for airlines from every continent.
The crash came at a time when the Boeing 787’s safety record was already under the microscope. As reported by The Economic Times, the Dreamliner has faced 31 instances of uncommanded Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment in its 14 years of service. The RAT, a small emergency turbine that generates power in case of dual engine or total electrical failure, is designed as a last-resort safety device. But when it deploys unexpectedly, it can signal underlying mechanical or maintenance issues that demand urgent attention.
Most of these uncommanded RAT deployments occurred within six months of maintenance involving manual stowing of the system, according to a senior official cited by PTI. The culprit appears to be a component called the shuttle valve, which controls hydraulic pressure in the RAT stow actuator’s up-lock toggle mechanism. When this assembly fails to seat properly after maintenance, it can be susceptible to vibrations or shocks during takeoff, landing, or rough runway conditions—potentially causing the RAT to deploy without pilot command or system trigger.
One such incident occurred on October 12, 2025, when Air India flight AI117, operating from Amritsar to Birmingham, experienced an uncommanded RAT deployment just before touchdown. Fortunately, the aircraft landed safely, but the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulator, swiftly ordered Air India to re-check RAT stowage procedures across all Dreamliners that had undergone RAT maintenance in the previous six months, as per Boeing’s Aircraft Maintenance Manual. Maintenance on the RAT system for Air India’s fleet had been performed in July 2025, after which the manual stowing took place.
Investigations revealed that the up-lock mechanism’s toggle assembly sometimes failed to seat correctly, leaving the system vulnerable. “Notably, 29 of these 31 events involved RAT stow actuators that lacked a modification to the shuttle valve, a key component controlling hydraulic pressure within the up-lock toggle mechanism,” a senior official told PTI. To address the issue, Boeing introduced a design change to the shuttle valve in the RAT stow actuator. However, Air India’s VT-ANO and 18 other Dreamliners in its fleet have not yet received this modification, and there is currently no formal Service Bulletin, Service Letter, or Service Information Letter from Boeing detailing the improvement, according to The Economic Times.
In response to the DGCA’s directive, Air India identified 16 Boeing 787 aircraft for preventive RAT stowage re-checks. As of the most recent update, 14 of these planes have undergone the procedure, ensuring proper seating of the toggle assembly, with the remaining two scheduled for completion during ongoing base maintenance activities. The aim is to reduce the risk of inadvertent RAT deployment and bolster confidence in the fleet’s safety.
The Dreamliner’s reputation as a reliable, fuel-efficient long-haul aircraft has made it a favorite among airlines, but the recent events have cast a shadow over its otherwise strong safety record. The June 12, 2025, crash of another Air India Dreamliner, which claimed 241 lives, was the first fatal accident involving the Boeing 787 and resulted in a total hull loss. The subsequent October 23 crash has only deepened concerns and prompted urgent calls for further investigation and action.
The impact of these tragedies has not been limited to the aviation sector alone. Boeing’s share price responded sharply to the latest crash, opening almost 5.5% lower at $202.17 on October 24, 2025, dropping to $201.28 during trading, and finally settling at $203.75—a 4.79% fall for the session, according to Mint. The drop erased recent gains that had seen the stock break out of a 66-day cup and handle pattern at $185, with a technical target of $240 before the crash. The financial markets, ever sensitive to news of accidents involving major manufacturers, reflected investor anxiety about potential fallout from investigations and regulatory actions.
Yet, some market analysts remain cautiously optimistic. Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree Investments, described the share price decline as “a knee-jerk reaction from weak bulls rather than a structural breakdown.” He added, “The breakout remains intact, and any pullback toward the $185–192 zone should be viewed as a buying opportunity. Strong momentum and pattern confirmation support further upside in the coming weeks.” While such views offer reassurance to some investors, the overall sentiment remains one of watchful uncertainty as the industry and regulators await the results of ongoing investigations.
The broader context for Boeing is a challenging one. The company has faced a series of crises in recent years, from the grounding of the 737 Max following two fatal crashes to supply chain disruptions and pandemic-induced travel downturns. The Dreamliner, with over 1,100 planes in service worldwide, has been a rare bright spot, helping to stabilize Boeing’s balance sheet and restore its reputation. But the recent crashes and technical issues threaten to undermine that progress unless addressed swiftly and transparently.
For Air India and other operators of the 787, the focus is now firmly on safety and compliance. The DGCA’s proactive measures, including repeated RAT stowage checks and close coordination with Boeing, reflect a determination to prevent further incidents. However, the lack of an official service bulletin or guidance from Boeing on the shuttle valve modification leaves airlines in a difficult position—balancing the need for immediate action with the realities of complex international supply chains and regulatory processes.
As investigators pore over the wreckage in Ahmedabad and review maintenance records, passengers and industry insiders alike are left grappling with difficult questions. Can the Dreamliner’s technical issues be resolved quickly enough to restore confidence? Will Boeing’s design changes and regulatory oversight be sufficient to prevent further tragedies? And perhaps most importantly, how will the lessons of these recent accidents shape the future of aviation safety for one of the world’s most important aircraft families?
With the stakes so high and the eyes of the world watching, the coming weeks will be critical for Boeing, Air India, and the global aviation community as they work to ensure that the Dreamliner’s legacy is defined not by disaster, but by resilience and renewed commitment to safety.
