The fiery crash of Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 242 people, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport in western India has stunned aviation experts and ignited scrutiny over possible mechanical or procedural causes with an aircraft known for its advanced technology and safety record.
At least 290 people are believed dead in the crash, which marks the first fatal incident involving a Boeing 787 aircraft since the model entered service in 2011. There is one known survivor.
Why It Matters
Air India said the flight bound for London Gatwick Airport was carrying 242 passengers and crew, with 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian aboard. The Boeing 787-8 crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off at 1:38 p.m.
This is the first crash of a Dreamliner, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The Dreamliner is widely considered the “crown jewel” of Boeing’s beleaguered commercial fleet, with more than 1,000 in service today.
Boeing said it was “working to gather more information.”
What To Know
The jet barely reached 625 feet in altitude before descending rapidly and crashing into a nearby medical building. The disaster, which unfolded in clear weather conditions, raises significant questions about the aircraft’s configuration, the airline’s procedures, and the potential for unforeseen failure modes in one of the world’s most advanced commercial jets.
While the official investigation is still underway, early video and expert reviews have pointed to a few main theories. Dan Bubb, a longtime pilot and now airline historian at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas, told Newsweek what might have gone wrong.
Flap Misconfiguration or Malfunction
Multiple aviation analysts believe the aircraft’s wing flaps were not correctly deployed at the time of takeoff. The flaps, which are essential for creating lift at low speeds, appeared to remain retracted, based on early video analysis.
“It looked like the jet struggled to maintain lift,” said Bubb in an interview with Newsweek. “Some pilots have speculated that the flaps may not have been set to the takeoff position. Historically, there have been crashes when flaps weren’t properly configured.”
Alastair Rosenschein, a former British Airways pilot, told Sky News the footage suggested the flaps were not extended, and “the aircraft would not have been able to maintain flight” under those conditions. He also noted the landing gear remained down, further impairing the aircraft’s aerodynamics.
Captain Summeet Sabharwal, who was commanding the flight, had more than 8,200 hours of flying experience. Experts say that level of experience makes it less likely the flaps or gear configuration were overlooked due to a procedural mistake, but do not rule such catastrophic pilot error out entirely.
“It may not have been set properly. If that is the case, that is definitely human error,” said Bubb emphasizing that flap settings are a crucial part of the pre-takeoff checklist.
“That’s why pilots use checklists and double verification to ensure flap settings are correct before takeoff. It’s an essential safety step, especially on heavy planes like the Dreamliner.”
Bird Strike and Double Engine Failure
The theory that a bird strike caused a dual engine failure has also gained traction. The aircraft crashed shortly after liftoff, a critical portion of flight when bird activity near airports can pose serious risks.
“Bird strikes can be very challenging,” Bubb said. “Especially if an engine ingests birds and fails, as happened in the [2009] US Airways Hudson River landing.”
Dr. Jason Knight, a lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, told Sky that the most likely cause of a double engine failure at low altitude would be a bird strike. “Because the altitude was so low, the pilot would have had very little time to do an emergency landing,” he said.
Saurabh Bhatnagar, another former pilot speaking to NDTV in India, said the aircraft appeared to lose power “short of taking the gear up,” which can happen “only in case the engine loses power or the aircraft stops developing lift.”
Ahmedabad airport is known for its bird strike hazard. According to The Telegraph, it had the second-highest number of reported bird strikes in India in 2023, despite operating significantly fewer flights than major hubs like Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.
Landing Gear Remained Deployed
A recurring point in expert analysis is the plane’s failure to retract its landing gear. Typically, pilots raise the gear within seconds of a positive rate of climb. In this case, the gear was still extended when the aircraft went down.
“There are two things that are needed for an aircraft take-off. One is adequate airspeed and the other one is a rate of climb,” said Paul Edwards, aviation security analyst and fellow at the Royal Aeronautical Society, in an interview with Sky. “And that had neither.”
“It could have been he [the pilot] just didn’t have time, or it could be that perhaps he thought he could control it, go round again and land or even land straight ahead,” Edwards added. “So that remains, if you like, a mystery.”
Dan Bubb explained that gear retraction and flap extension are both critical for lift and speed. “If the flaps malfunctioned, or if the pilot was unaware they hadn’t extended, it becomes very difficult to control the aircraft safely,” he said.
Runway Length and Heat
Radar data reviewed by Newsweek indicates the pilots may also not have used the full length of the runway. On a hot day in Ahmedabad, where temperatures reached 40°C (104°F), a heavy aircraft requires more distance to reach liftoff speed due to reduced air density.
“If a plane tries to lift off too early without enough speed or lift, it could crash into a nearby obstacle or fail to get airborne,” said Bubb. Unverified data suggests Flight 171 may have used as little as 1,900 meters of runway, below the 2,500 meters generally recommended under those conditions.
Bubb acknowledged the challenge: “The Dreamliner is a heavy jet, used for long international flights, carrying many passengers and fuel, so it can struggle if something’s off.”
Mechanical Failure and Boeing’s Role
The crash has renewed scrutiny on Boeing, which has faced multiple safety controversies in recent years. While the 787 has a strong safety record, it is also a highly complex aircraft reliant on computerized systems and advanced materials.
“The SOS indicates something definitely went wrong,” Bubb said. “If there was a mechanical defect, responsibility may extend beyond Boeing because airlines are responsible for maintaining their planes. Investigators will look closely at Air India’s maintenance records.”
Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner of Clifford Law Offices in Chicago and lead counsel in the Boeing 737 MAX8 crash in Ethiopia, also weighed in. “Review of available video and eyewitness information indicate some form of power or flight control loss,” Clifford told Newsweek in a statement.
“The Indian government investigators should have flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder information within a couple of days that will provide vital information to try to get to the bottom of this deadly tragedy.”
What Happens Next
Air India’s chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said that at the moment “our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.” One of the two “black box” flight recorders has been recovered, while investigators are still searching for the other. No data from the recovered recorder has yet been shared.
The post Air India Flight 171 Crash: Veteran Pilots on What Could Have Gone Wrong appeared first on Newsweek.
