The crash of Air India's Boeing 787, which was carrying 242 people and went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport in India on Thursday, June 12, dealt another blow to the Seattle-based manufacturer. Investigations were set to begin to determine the cause of the accident.

Launched in 2011, Boeing's 787 Dreamliner had never before been involved in a fatal air disaster. Yet, the aircraft's commercial debut was troubled. On January 17, 2013, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all 787s worldwide – a rare decision made after a series of battery fires, including one on a Japan Airlines flight. The 787 fleet was grounded for three months while Boeing developed a technical solution – a containment case and exhaust pipe to isolate potentially faulty lithium batteries and vent fumes.

At the time, the new long-haul jet's troubles stemmed from Boeing's decision to outsource production as much as possible. In total, 70% of the aircraft was manufactured by around 50 suppliers worldwide, including 35% in Japan. When the 787 launched, critics pointed to a rushed rollout. Richard Aboulafia, an aviation and defense expert at the consulting firm Teal Group, said they were launched before the certification process had even been fully completed.

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