I t was yet another Thursday afternoon when a friend called to tell me about a possible plane crash in Gujarat. Little did I know at that time that it would be one of the worst crashes in aviation history. The crash of Air India’s Boeing Dreamliner flight from Ahmedabad to London shocked the nation. In the aftermath of this tragedy, the public discourse in India has focused on seeking accountability from the airline, the regulatory authorities like DGCA and the Government. While these entities deserve scrutiny, a critical player remains conspicuously absent from mainstream discussion, Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer. Boeing’s legal and ethical responsibility for the safety of its aircraft cannot be a blind spot in our search for accountability.

In a country where aviation accountability often stops at the cockpit or the airline hangar, it’s time to confront a glaring oversight. International norms, global legal precedents, and past tragedies remind us that manufacturers like Boeing bear a heavy responsibility, both legally and morally. Ignoring this link risks both justice and future safety. For instance, in 2019, Chinese aviation authorities grounded all Boeing 737 MAX over safety concerns. This was in the aftermath of the crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 which resulted in the loss of 157 lives.

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Under international aviation law, particularly ICAO Annex 13 (this Annex provides the International Standards and Recommended Practices in case of Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation), every air accident must be investigated not just for human or operational failures but also for potential design and manufacturing defects. In fact, Annex 13 mandates that the country of the aircraft’s design and manufacture (in this case, the United States, where Boeing is headquartered) must participate in the investigation. This is not mere formality. It is a recognition that in the world of commercial aviation, manufacturers wield immense influence over aircraft safety. The very fact that international law mandates the manufacturer’s involvement underscores an important principle, aircraft manufacturers must be thoroughly scrutinized after a crash, not shielded from tough questions. With millions of parts, hundreds of interconnected systems, and advanced automation software, any hidden defect can be as fatal as human error. Boeing’s engineers, documents, and design history will be central to understanding whether this crash involved systemic or design flaws.

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History........

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