NASHVILLE, TENN. — A prominent U.S. aviation attorney is calling for a thorough investigation into possible fuel system failures following one of the deadliest airline disasters in India’s history.

Keith Williams, a Tennessee-based aviation lawyer with a background in crash investigation, says early indicators from the June 12 crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner point to potential issues with the aircraft’s fuel lines — a problem that has plagued other long-haul jets in the past.

“Fuel contamination or system failure must be considered,” said Williams. “This was a new-generation aircraft, and for it to nose-dive just 30 seconds after takeoff raises major red flags.”

The Air India flight, bound for London Gatwick with 242 passengers and crew, plunged into a medical college in Ahmedabad, killing at least 240 people, including five students on the ground. A video captured the plane climbing steeply before sharply pitching downward and crashing. Miraculously, one passenger survived.

This is the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner — and one of the deadliest aviation incidents ever recorded in India.

Williams, who has represented victims of major airline disasters and worked alongside the FAA and NTSB, said the crash bears chilling similarities to a 2008 incident at London Heathrow involving a Boeing 777, which investigators linked to ice crystals in fuel lines.

The U.K.’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch is joining the probe, as 53 British nationals were among those aboard. Air India’s parent company, Tata Group, has pledged financial compensation for victims’ families and support for the medical school damaged in the crash.

“While I applaud the company’s swift humanitarian response,” Williams added, “we need transparency, and we need answers. There may be lessons here that could save lives in the future.”

In addition to his practice, Mr. Williams is the Past Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Aviation Litigation Section, and he is a member of the Aviation and Space Law Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. Mr. Williams is also a member and past president of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association.