Black box data recorder holds key to explaining shock loss of plane with good safety record

The Air India tragedy in Ahmedabad is the first time a Boeing 787 Dreamliner has crashed since its introduction in 2011.

- Gwyn Topham

While airlines have had problems with the engines - resulting in grounded planes - the 787's safety record had been good. However, the US Federal Aviation Administration has had to investigate several issues, including a mid-air dive on a Latam airlines flight. A whistleblower last year urged Boeing to ground all Dreamliners worldwide. The company rejected the claims from the former engineer and said it was fully confident in the plane.

More than 1,100 Dreamliners are in service and most major airlines use them. The model has been prized for its fuel efficiency and lower noise levels.

Two major crashes caused by faults on Boeing planes involved the then new 737 Max, in Indonesia in 2018 and in Ethiopia in 2019. That model was taken out of service for almost a year before being relaunched and returned to widespread use.