Unpacking the Ahmedabad disaster: What really went down in Air India's Dreamliner crash?
Aircraft accidents expose perceptible shortcomings in flight safety
After the devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad, India that claimed the lives of over 240 people and left a single survivor, the guessing game begins. With experts baffled, a Hamburg-based analyst weighs in, shedding light on the potential causes behind this horrendous tragedy.
The takeoff at Ahmedabad airport appeared smooth, according to aviation journalist Andreas Spaeth, but the Dreamliner, a Boeing 787-8, suddenly seemed to lose altitude and flew at a consistent low height for agonizing seconds, cutting a path over the runway before plummeting in a final, tragic fireball. Spaeth believes that this sequence of events points towards a clear issue: insufficient thrust, resulting from the engines faltering during or shortly after takeoff.
Though the specific details are yet to be confirmed, Spaeth speculates that the cause could be fuel contamination, either deliberate or accidental, or even human error or sabotage in the cockpit.
Was it the pilots?
Former pilot Ehsan Khalid leaves no room for guessing as he expresses his doubts that the incident was the result of a malfunction or mechanical failure. Instead, he suspects that the tragedy might well have been caused by the pilots' actions, or lack thereof. The puzzling fact that the landing gear remained deployed, despite retracting immediately after takeoff in standard procedure, has made Khalid's questions intensify.
A potentially revealing video recording of the crash might hold the key to understanding if the pilots possibly operated the wrong lever in the cockpit, a mistake that could account for the retracting flaps, meant to aid the aircraft's ascent.
Rare but not unheard of
Doubled engine failure is indeed a rarity, but not completely unheard of, as aviation expert Andreas Spaeth explains. A well-known case involves flight US Airways 1549, in which pilot Sully Sullenberger landed an Airbus on the Hudson River in New York after takeoff in 2009, following double engine failure due to a bird strike. Spaeth dismisses bird strikes as the culprit in the Ahmedabad disaster, as no birds were visible in widely circulated videos of the crash, and neither the engines nor any smoke signified engine trouble.
The recovered "black box" (flight data or cockpit voice recorder) promises to provide invaluable insights into the disaster. However, as of now, specific information regarding engine problems or mechanical issues remains unknown. Both Boeing and the Indian authorities are deeply involved in the investigation, and safety inspections have been carried out for all Boeing 787 aircraft in Air India's fleet.
With the recovered "black box" and the ongoing investigations, we may soon find ourselves a step closer to uncovering the truth behind this devastating disaster.
Sources:ntv.de, mpa
Enrichment Data:At present, there is no definitive information indicating that the crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in India was caused by insufficient thrust or engine failure during takeoff. The crash occurred on June 13, 2025, when Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed into buildings in Ahmedabad shortly after taking off for London's Gatwick Airport. The incident resulted in significant casualties and damage. One of the "black boxes" (flight data or cockpit voice recorder) has been recovered, which will be crucial for investigators to determine the cause of the crash[1]. However, specific details about engine performance or any potential mechanical issues have not yet been disclosed. Both Boeing and Indian authorities are involved in the investigation, and additional safety inspections have been ordered for all Boeing 787 aircraft in Air India's fleet[1][2]. Therefore, while there are ongoing investigations and inspections, the exact cause of the crash remains undetermined at this point.
- In the midst of the ongoing investigation into the Air India Dreamliner crash, community members are calling for a thorough review of the safety policies in place, particularly regarding vocational training for pilots to ensure the highest level of competency.
- With the aviation industry demanding increasingly efficient and advanced technology, finance experts are scrutinizing the cost-benefit analysis of investing in next-generation vocational training programs for aviation professionals, as industry leaders aim to minimize human error.
- In the aftermath of the Air India disaster, the collapse of the involved aircraft's engines raises questions about the overall well-being of transportation infrastructure, sparking discussions about the need for better maintenance and efficient vocational training programs for transportation engineers.
