Flight AI171, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad in India to London, crashed just 1.5km from the runway shortly after take-off, killing 241 onboard and others on the ground.
The incident marks the first fatal crash involving a 787-8 since its commercial debut in 2011.
Experienced pilots were at the controls, and the aircraft was heavily loaded with fuel. A mayday call was issued seconds after liftoff, followed by a rapid loss of altitude and a fiery crash into a densely populated residential area.
Early footage shows the aircraft struggling to gain height, with speculation ranging from dual engine failure to flap misconfiguration.
Investigators from India, the US, and the UK are examining multiple possible causes.
Experts have floated rare but serious scenarios such as simultaneous engine failure due to fuel contamination or bird strikes – Ahmedabad Airport is known for high bird activity.
Another theory under scrutiny is that the plane’s flaps, essential for lift during take-off, were not properly deployed. However, this would usually trigger cockpit warnings.
High temperatures on the day and the aircraft’s full fuel load added to the challenges during take-off. While video evidence is inconclusive, a full investigation including black box analysis is underway.
Image credit: Vivek Arya
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