AI-171 Victims' Families Hire Boeing 737 MAX Law Firm To Sue Air India, Boeing

Families of 65 AI-171 crash victims hire Beasley Allen, the firm behind the Boeing 737 MAX lawsuits, to sue Boeing & Air India.

Efforts underway to remove the wreckage of the ill-fated Air India flight 171 (PHOTO: IANS)

Families of 65 victims of the fatal Air India Flight AI-171 plane crash have hired Beasley Allen, a leading U.S. aviation law firm that specialised in representing families in the Boeing 737 MAX tragedies, to sue Boeing and Air India.

The law firm, headed by aviation lawyer D. Michael Andrews, is now pursuing product liability suits against Boeing in U.S. federal courts and Montreal Convention suits against Air India in British courts. No suits have actually been filed as yet.

"Our company currently represents the families of 65 victims. We're committed to pursuing the evidence to determine how and why this tragedy happened," Andrews said, highlighting the demand of the families for answers and transparency.

Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed just after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, killing all 241 on board and 19 on the ground. The only survivor was Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. On board were 181 Indian nationals and 52 UK nationals. The cause of the crash is still unknown and is under investigation.

Challenging Preliminary Conclusions

Andrews has openly challenged evidence in the interim report of India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB), which had indicated possible pilot input. According to him, Flight Data Recorders (FDR) pick up alterations in electrical current, not mechanical switch movement, creating the potential for a computer-induced fault that would cause both engine fuel control switches to transmit a CUTOFF signal, and not human mistake.

The initial report mentioned a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) conversation in which one pilot asked why fuel had been shut off, with the other stating they were not responsible, without specifying which pilot said which. 

Andrews called on Indian officials to make all data available from the investigation, including cockpit voice recorder transcripts, to enable expert review on a global basis, warning that selective release could result in misinterpretation.

Trupti Soni, who lost her brother and two sisters-in-law in the accident and has retained Beasley Allen, expressed suspicion of a cover-up. "I believe that a technical or design flaw is being hidden, with fault being blamed on the pilots," she said, demanding accountability.

As a point to highlight possible systemic faults with the Boeing 787, Andrews referenced recent events, such as a United Airlines flight diversion on account of engine failure and a LATAM flight with an unplanned Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment—an emergency power system usually engaged in the event of major power or hydraulic loss. The AAIB of India is coordinating the investigation, with involvement from the US National Transportation Safety Board, the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, and Boeing officials.

Precedent And Compensation Efforts

Beasley Allen became prominent through the Boeing 737 MAX cases, including two 2018-2019 crashes that resulted in 346 fatalities. Boeing eventually paid $2.5 billion in a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement, admitting liability for the crashes resulting from the defective Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). Boeing has since resolved more than 90% of those claims, paying billions in individual compensation.

Imtiaz Ali, who lost his brother, sister-in-law, and their two children—all British citizens—in the AI-171 crash, stated his intention to file legal proceedings within two months, seeking court rulings within two years.

Under the agreement in law, no fees are paid to Beasley Allen by families unless a financial recovery is achieved. The firm can hold on to a lien if the representation is dropped or can withdraw if the case proves to be unviable with no assured results.

Concurrently, the Tata Group that owns Air India has provided ex gratia payment of ₹1 crore for families of victims who passed away and ₹25 lakh for victims on the ground. The company also set up the AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust with ₹500 crore jointly contributed by Tata Sons and Tata Trusts to give extended support, such as educational scholarships, medical insurance, and financial aid to bereaved families, especially children who lost their parents.

Representatives for Boeing and Air India did not respond to requests for comment.