Tragedy in 30 Seconds: What Brought Down Air India Flight AI171?
It’s a moment that no one ever hopes to witness, let alone live through. Just 30 seconds after take-off, Air India Flight AI171 plummeted into a residential neighborhood in Ahmedabad, leaving behind a trail of devastation. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick, took off at 13:39 local time. Barely a kilometer from the runway, the aircraft crashed, killing 241 people onboard and others on the ground. Miraculously, one man survived—Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin. But what really happened in those final seconds?
From the outset, this tragedy has raised unsettling questions. The aircraft was operated by two seasoned pilots—Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kundar—boasting over 9,000 flight hours combined. Weather conditions were normal, but the plane was heavily loaded with 100 tonnes of fuel and 242 people. Just seconds after take-off, the cockpit issued a mayday call. Then, silence. Eyewitness footage shows the plane flying low and struggling to gain altitude before disappearing into buildings and erupting into flames.
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Several theories are under scrutiny. One being a rare dual engine failure. This would be almost unheard of—comparable only to incidents like the "Miracle on the Hudson" in 2009. Experts say such failures could stem from bird strikes, fuel contamination, or mechanical malfunction. Ahmedabad airport is notorious for frequent bird strikes, and investigators are now considering whether this could have brought down both engines simultaneously.
Another possibility: a flap configuration error. Flaps help generate lift during take-off. If not extended properly, especially in hot weather like Ahmedabad’s 40°C heat, a heavy aircraft might struggle to ascend. However, the 787 is designed to alert pilots to such configuration issues before take-off. Was this warning missed or ignored? Or was something more catastrophic already unfolding?
The plane’s black box will eventually shed light on what happened during those crucial 30 seconds, but until then, speculation remains. GE Aerospace and Boeing have joined Indian authorities in the investigation. What complicates the story is the haunting image of Vishwash Kumar, seat 11A, walking away from the wreckage—one man against all odds.
This crash is more than a tragedy; it’s a reminder of how fragile flight can be when systems fail. As families mourn and experts investigate, the world waits for answers—not just to understand what went wrong, but to ensure it never happens again.
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