Let Me Explain: What the Air India crash says about Boeing’s broken system

The crash took just 38 seconds. Not enough time to send a second mayday. Not enough time for 242 people onboard to escape.

But we still don’t know what caused it. 

And this wasn’t an aging aircraft. This was a Dreamliner – Boeing’s pride. A plane with no fatal crashes. Until now.

In the days that followed, Boeing aircrafts started making headlines. Snags, cancellations, unexplained failures. An Air India flight from Hong Kong to Delhi - technical snag. Another flight from San Francisco to Kolkata- issue in the left engine  

Delhi–Ranchi Air India Express flight – suspected technical problems. Another Dreamliner – on the same Ahmedabad-London route as the crash — was cancelled. First cited as a technical issue, Air India later attributed it to “aircraft unavailability.” 

That’s four incidents in just a few days involving Boeing.

Many experts argue that this crash didn’t happen in isolation. They have warned about it for years. 

Like John Barnett.

He worked at Boeing for nearly 30 years. He had warned that there were serious issues. In 2024, while his whistleblower case was open, he was found dead. Police called it suicide. His family blames Boeing.

Now, after 290 people died in the Ahmedabad crash, Barnett’s warnings are back in focus. 

This isn’t just about one aircraft. It’s about what happens when a system built on trust starts to crack – when those meant to protect passengers instead protect power.

What went wrong, what warnings did people like Barnett give?

Why India just cannot afford to look away.

Let me explain.