In the days since Air India Flight AI171 came crashing down over a residential area in Ahmedabad, one question continues to haunt aviation experts and families alike, what exactly went wrong?
The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner slammed into the ground shortly after takeoff on June 12, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. Only one man, 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, made it out alive.
With official investigations still underway, an experienced commercial pilot and YouTuber, known as Captain Steve, believes he may have pinpointed a critical error that could explain the disaster.
Pilot’s Take: Theories That Point To A Deadly Error
Captain Steve, who has reviewed flight footage and spoken with fellow pilots, has identified three possible causes for the crash: power loss, incorrect flap configuration, and a cockpit mix-up. Of these, he believes the third theory holds the most weight.
“I think the pilot flying said to the co-pilot ‘gear up’ at the appropriate time,” Steve said in a recent video. “I think the co-pilot grabbed the flap handle and raised the flaps, instead of the gear. If that happened, and this is a big if, this explains a lot of why this airplane stopped flying.”
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Flaps play a crucial role during takeoff by providing lift at low speeds. Retracting them too early can rob the aircraft of necessary lift, especially when paired with the drag from extended landing gear. Steve added that the jet looked “flat” in the air and didn’t show signs of wing flex, a possible indicator that the flaps were no longer deployed.
He also ruled out the possibility of a bird strike or dual engine failure, saying there were no visible signs of sparks, flames, or smoke in the footage. “You’d see something if the engines were falling apart,” he said.
While Steve’s theory hasn’t been confirmed, it aligns with observations from other aviation professionals. Former British Airways pilot Alastair Rosenschein told Sky News the jet appeared to lack proper flap and gear configurations during takeoff.
Meanwhile, survivor Ramesh described the moment the plane went down, saying, “There was a loud noise… it all happened so quickly. I unbuckled, pushed through the debris, and ran.”
With black box data still under review, the final cause remains unclear. But as more experts weigh in, the picture of what unfolded in those critical seconds is beginning to take shape.
Also Read: Probable Cause Behind Air India Flight 171 Crash Has Finally Been Identified
