In the wake of the tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad that claimed 241 lives, India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has issued a statement raising concerns over the airline’s past safety practices.
Following the crash, the DGCA revealed that it had previously uncovered serious lapses in Air India’s internal safety audits during an inspection conducted in 2023.
The regulator stated that these past deficiencies are now part of a broader investigation, as they could have implications for the airline’s overall safety culture.
According to the DGCA, a two-member inspection team had found that Air India had falsified internal safety reports in at least 13 spot checks across key operational areas such as cabin surveillance, ramp services, cargo, and load checks.
These checks, reportedly conducted at stations in Mumbai, Goa, and Delhi, later proven not to have taken place when verified against CCTV footage, shift logs, flight manifests, and other documents.
The inspection report detailed how the airline created false documentation ‘only after’ the DGCA demanded evidence.
Forged reports lacked authorised signatures
Crucially, the Chief of Flight Safety, the only authorised signatory, did not sign these forged reports.
Instead, they were signed by an auditor from the Quality Management System (QMS) department, which lies outside the DGCA’s regulatory scope and does not meet the qualifications required by India’s Flight Safety Manual.
“When we asked for delegation of authority to justify these signings, there were no written or email authorisations. Only a verbal assurance from the Chief of Flight Safety was provided,” the DGCA’s deficiency report noted.
Even more alarming were the findings related to Pre-Flight Medical Examinations (alcohol testing for pilots).
Air India claimed it conducted the audits, but the auditor never physically visited the facility — a critical requirement for completing the checklist.
The auditor skipped recording test readings or equipment details and marked every item on the checklist as ‘satisfactory’ without any verification.
The inspection also found that Air India’s ramp service reports falsely listed duty officers who were not present, and the cabin surveillance audit allegedly conducted on 16 July 2023, never took place — the auditor listed was actually flying as a passenger with family members on the said flight.
When the DGCA requested a list of authorised flight safety auditors, Air India delayed the submission and eventually provided a list that included QMS personnel, whose qualifications don’t align with aviation safety regulations.
DGCA, then, Director General Vikram Dev Dutt, during the investigation at that time, had confirmed that these findings were part of an expanded probe.
“The deficiencies noted in the previous audits are being taken very seriously, particularly in light of the recent crash,” he stated.
Air India responds to allegations
Air India, responding to queries, asserted, “All aviation companies, including Air India, are subject to regular safety audits by regulators and other bodies both in India and overseas. We actively engage in such audits to continually assess and strengthen our processes. We directly address any matters raised with the authority concerned.”
The DGCA is actively investigating the matter, and officials believe the findings could shape how regulators address past audit falsifications going forward.
Industry watchers are also closely observing how Air India will address the historical lapses, which may determine the extent of penalties, operational restrictions, or mandated oversight.
The outcome could serve as a precedent for how the regulator enforces accountability for audit non-compliance across the aviation sector.
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