Air India flight drops 900 ft mid-air just days after fatal crash; pilots grounded, probe underway

An Air India flight from Delhi to Vienna experienced a sudden drop of nearly 900 feet shortly after takeoff, prompting an investigation by aviation authorities. The incident, involving Flight AI-187—a Boeing 777—occurred on June 14, just two days after a fatal crash of Air India’s London-bound Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad.

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Flight AI-187 departed Indira Gandhi International Airport at 2:56 am and landed safely in Vienna after a nine-hour journey. Shortly after departure, the aircraft lost altitude abruptly, triggering stall and ground proximity alerts, including repeated “Don’t sink” warnings. Despite the scare, the crew stabilized the aircraft and continued the flight.

Following the event, both pilots were removed from duty pending the outcome of a detailed investigation. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was promptly notified and has since intensified scrutiny of Air India’s safety protocols.

The DGCA has summoned Air India’s Head of Safety and launched a comprehensive probe. This comes in the wake of a broader safety audit revealing recurring maintenance issues and inadequate defect resolution within the airline’s fleet.

As part of its response, the DGCA conducted an extensive audit at Air India’s headquarters in Gurugram on June 23. The review includes operational procedures, flight planning, crew scheduling, and other critical functions. Investigators are examining whether weather, mechanical faults, or human error caused the near-miss.