Crash of Air India Flight 171: Lone Survivor Shares Account as Specialists Decipher Accident Details
In less than a minute after leaving the runway, Air India Flight AI-171 vanished from radar screens and smashed into a student hostel adjacent to B.J. Medical College. The unfortunate incident claimed 260 lives, leaving only one survivor, Vishwashkumar Ramesh.
Seated in 11A, Ramesh emerged from the wreckage, his voice trembling with the horror of witnessing one of India's deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.
As investigators sift through the smoldering debris, global aviation experts are joining forces to decipher the nightmarish scene - a state-of-the-art jetliner, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, plummeting from the sky just 40 seconds after takeoff.
Potential Causes: Engines, Flaps, and Lift
In a series of interviews, experts have suggested that the crash may have resulted from a sudden loss of lift due to a confluence of mechanical hiccups and human errors.
"It appears the aircraft battled to ascend almost instantly," said Dr. Sonya Brown, an aerospace engineering professor at the University of New South Wales, in a conversation with the BBC. "This could hint at propulsion problems or issues with improperly configured flaps."
A viral video shows the Dreamliner climbing at a painfully slow pace before banking sharply and crashing nose-first.
Aviation safety consultant John M. Cox remarked in a Sky News interview that "the flaps don't seem to be in a takeoff position."
Onboard the aircraft, insufficient lift at low speeds can be a lethal combination without proper flap deployment.
Capt. Amit Singh, a former Air India pilot and current aviation analyst, pointed out that the landing gear remained down during the flight. "[This] increases drag, causing it to be like running with parachutes attached," Singh told The Indian Express.
International Probe: Boeing, GE, and Regulators
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Boeing, and engine manufacturer GE Aerospace are working alongside India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to unravel the puzzle.
British regulators have joined the investigation, with the aircraft's flight data recorder recovered, although the location of the critical cockpit voice recorder has yet to be confirmed.
Investigators are probing multiple scenarios, including dual-engine failure, misconfigured flap settings, or the possibility that the landing gear and flaps remained extended, generating excessive drag. A bird strike is no longer being considered a significant contributing factor.
"There are no birds visible in the CCTV footage," said Capt. Manoj Hathi, a retired Air India safety official, speaking to NDTV. "The crash signature suggests a stall - but we need the data to confirm."
Searing Temperatures and Strained Systems
The crash occurred under the harsh glare of peaks exceeding 40°C (104°F). Hotter air is thinner, which can strain lift, particularly if other systems are already struggling.
"Scorching temperatures alone don't lead to plane crashes," said Alastair Rosenschein, a former British Airways pilot, in an interview with Sky News. "But they make any mistakes - either mechanical or human - that much less forgiving."
Some experts have hypothesized a potential fuel contamination scenario, while others have suggested the possibility of a miscommunication between pilots during a high-stress takeoff procedure.
A Plane Meant to be Safe
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, first rolled out in 2011, has consistently maintained an impressive safety record, with no fatal accidents involving the model - until now.
The ensuing grief and anger have enveloped Ahmedabad, with the student hostel bearing the brunt of the impact housing medical interns - 28 more lives lost on the ground.
For Vishwash Ramesh, the lone survivor, survival remains a baffling enigma. "I still can't believe I'm here," he expressed briefly from the hospital. "Everyone else... they were gone in seconds."
As investigators labor to piece together the final 33 seconds of AI-171's doomed flight, families await answers, and the world watches. A comprehensive report may take months, but already, the puzzle pieces are falling into place, pointing to a grim, preventable picture of confusion, mechanical failures, and missed opportunities that cost 260 lives.
Further Reading
*Silver Airways Ceases All Operations, Cancels All Flights Amid Bankruptcy Sale*
*Deserted America? Inside the Report Detailing a Shocking 116,000 Expatriations*
- The unfortunate incident of Air India Flight AI-171, which occurred in India, has sparked a global investigation, involving the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Boeing, GE Aerospace, and India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
- In the aftermath of the crash, concerns have been raised regarding the airliner's hydraulics, engines, flaps, and landing gear, with some experts suggesting that the aircraft battled to ascend almost instantly due to a confluence of mechanical hiccups and human errors.
- The aviation industry, including logistics and finance, is closely watching the progress of the investigation, as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, known for its impressive safety record, experienced its first fatal accident since its 2011 rollout.
- The crash site's conditions add a complex layer to the investigation, as the aircraft crashed under scorching temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F), which can strain lift and make any potential mistakes even less forgiving.
- As investigators continue to unravel the intricacies of this tragic event, questions about the role of human errors, mechanical failures, and external factors such as soaring temperatures in Africa contribute to the ongoing discussion about aviation safety and the need for continued improvements in global transportation and the aviation industry.
