Unraveling the India Plane Crash: Potential Culprits Ranging from Technical Malfunction to Human Error
Aircraft disaster analysts point out apparent flaw leading to aviation catastrophes
The aftermath of a devastating plane crash in India, claiming the lives of 241 passengers with only one survivor, has specialists worldwide scrutinizing the causes. Unearthing the truth is a perplexing puzzle. Aviation commentator, Andreas Spaeth, from Hamburg, has been meticulously monitoring the events, noting the strange and "extremely unusual" series of events.
In his analysis for ntv, Spaeth implied that the plane's takeoff from Ahmedabad airport was inexplicably disastrous: "Although the initial takeoff appears normal, the aircraft fails to gain altitude, then endures agonizing seconds at a consistent low height over the runway, before going into a tragic descent with a fiery end." Spaeth speculates that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner's engines may have malfunctioned or were insufficiently powerful shortly after takeoff.
Several potential factors to investigate have emerged, including possibilities like the plane's fuel being contaminated or human error leading to the crash. Contamination of fuel could be due to accidental spillage or intentional adulteration. Human error, such as a miscalculation or mistimed maneuver by the pilots, cannot be ruled out.
Ex-pilot Ehsan Khalid believes the crew in the cockpit might be responsible, as it's unlikely that both engines would fail simultaneously. Confusing control levers in the cockpit could be to blame for deploying the landing gear instead of retracting them after takeoff. John McDermid, University of York's computer science professor and expert in safety engineering, echoes this concern, expressing that such oversight would be among the first aspects investigated.
According to Spaeth, double engine failure is rare, but it's not unprecedented. In 2009, the "Miracle on the Hudson" happened when landing gear was deployed after both engines were incapacitated, resulting in an Airbus safely landing in the Hudson River. However, unlike that instance, no visible signs of fire or smoke emanating from the engines are apparent in the available footage from the Indian crash site.
Evidently, the perpetrators and cause behind the Indian plane crash may not immediately present themselves. However, Flight Data Recorders (black boxes) are crucial in uncovering more critical information. If the recorders can be accessed and interpretation is successful, we might soon understand the "agonizing seconds" preceding the crash.
The crash's investigation is expected to involve the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other aviation authorities. Suspicions and possibilities will continue to circulate until the investigation conclusively delineates the unnerving story of what occurred on that fateful day.
Keywords:
- India
- Plane crash
- Aircraft
- Boeing
- Accidents
- Aviation
- Investigation
- Cockpit Error
- Engine Failure
- Human Factor
- FAA
- NTSB
- Plane Safety
Insights:
- Engine malfunction or lack of thrust could be a potential cause.
- Human error, such as pilot misjudgment or confusion between levers, may have played a role.
- Fuel contamination, intentionally or due to accident, is another possibility to explore.
- The heavy tail of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner makes it more complex to conclude the extent of the damage without opening it up.
- Results from Flight Data Recorders (black boxes) will shed light on the possible causes of the crash.
- The investigation will cover both technical and human factors, including weather conditions, air traffic control issues, and structural integrity.
- The community is calling for a review of the aviation industry's general-news policies, advocating for stringent vocational training programs for pilots to reduce human error in aircraft operations.
- The finance department has allocated funds for establishing a vocational training center focusing on the maintenance and upkeep of aircraft engines, aiming to prevent such tragedies as the recent India plane accident.
- In light of the India plane crash, government officials are urging for a transportation safety audit, including an evaluation of the role of human factors in various modes of transportation, from aviation to highways.
