Key Points
- Air India Flight AI171 crashed in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff, killing at least 265 people, including 242 onboard and over 20 on the ground.
- Only one passenger, a British national, survived the crash.
- Early footage and expert analysis reveal the aircraft was flying with landing gear down and flaps retracted, a highly irregular configuration that may have caused or contributed to the crash.
- Possible causes under investigation include engine failure, bird strike, fuel contamination, or a control jam.
- The aircraft crashed into a residential hostel, amplifying the tragedy and complicating rescue efforts.
- The black box has been recovered and is expected to provide crucial data on the sequence of events leading to the disaster.
New Delhi: A devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad has left India and the global aviation community searching for answers. Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed just seconds after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing nearly everyone onboard and dozens more on the ground in the densely populated Meghani Nagar area.
Timeline and Immediate Aftermath
The flight, carrying 242 people 169 Indians, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian took off at 1:38 PM local time. Within 33 seconds, the aircraft issued a Mayday call and then lost altitude rapidly, crashing into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College and erupting in a massive fireball. Rescue teams, including the NDRF, rushed to the scene, but the scale of destruction was immense, with bodies and debris scattered across the crash site.
Configuration Anomalies: Landing Gear and Flaps
Aviation experts have raised serious concerns after reviewing video footage of the crash. The Dreamliner was seen flying low with its landing gear still extended and, critically, with its wing flaps fully retracted both highly irregular for the takeoff phase. Normally, flaps are set to provide extra lift during takeoff and only retracted after the aircraft achieves stable climb. Landing gear is also retracted within seconds of liftoff to reduce drag and allow the plane to gain altitude efficiently.
Former pilots and analysts suggest this abnormal configuration could have severely compromised the aircraft’s ability to climb, especially if compounded by an engine power loss or other mechanical issue. Some experts speculate that the crew may have been responding to a sudden emergency, such as loss of thrust, by extending the gear again.
Possible Causes: Engine Failure, Bird Strike, or Technical Fault?
While the exact cause remains unknown, several theories are being investigated:
- Bird Strike: Ahmedabad airport is known for a high bird population. A bird strike could have led to catastrophic engine failure, similar to the famous US Airways Hudson River incident.
- Engine Failure: The mayday call and sudden loss of altitude suggest a possible engine power loss, either from mechanical failure or fuel contamination.
- Control Jam: A rare technical fault could have prevented the pilots from controlling the aircraft’s climb or retracting the landing gear.
- Crew Response: The configuration may indicate the pilots were attempting emergency procedures, but the combination of extended gear and retracted flaps would have made it nearly impossible to maintain flight.
Black Box Holds the Answers
Investigators have recovered one of the aircraft’s black boxes and are searching for the second. Data from these recorders will be crucial in reconstructing the final moments of the flight and pinpointing the cause of the disaster. International teams from the US and UK are assisting Indian authorities in the investigation.
A Nation in Mourning
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior officials have visited the crash site, promising full support for rescue and investigation efforts. The tragedy has cast a shadow over the aviation industry, marking the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner since its introduction.
The Air India Ahmedabad crash has exposed potential lapses in aircraft configuration and emergency handling, with experts focusing on why the landing gear was down and flaps retracted at such a critical phase. As the black box is analyzed, the world waits for answers to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
