Air India Flight Plunges After Takeoff, Sparking Investigation
The recent Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad has sent shockwaves through the aviation world. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner plummeted into a populated area just seconds after departure. Investigators are now racing to determine the cause of this extremely rare incident, which is already under scrutiny.
Seconds to Disaster
Within a mere 40 seconds of becoming airborne, Air India Flight 171 met a tragic end. The aircraft, helmed by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kundar, was en route to London Gatwick. The plane, carrying 242 souls and nearly 100 tonnes of fuel, never stood a chance.
Following the disaster, experts are scrutinizing the wreckage, which will be a grim task. International aviation regulations dictate that a preliminary report must be issued within a month, with a complete analysis ideally available within a year.
The aircraft’s final moments included a distress call followed by a plunge. Captain Kishore Chinta, a former investigator, described this crash as an extraordinary event, with no known precedent.
Probing the Possible Causes
Investigators are pursuing multiple avenues of inquiry. They are determining whether both engines failed, potentially due to bird strikes or fuel contamination. Other areas of focus are the flaps or any maintenance errors. The probe is also looking at whether the crew played a role by inadvertently cutting fuel to the engines.
Unraveling the Mystery
Crash investigations depend on methodical analysis. Specialists will piece together what happened by correlating the physical evidence with recorded performance data.
Aviation experts are relying on evidence from the engines, especially the turbines, to provide an initial understanding of the catastrophe. According to Peter Goelz, former managing director of the US’s National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the condition of the engines will be key. He said, “You can tell from the damage whether the engines were generating power at impact – turbines fracture differently when spinning at high speed.”
The investigation will focus on the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs), or the “black boxes”. These capture important flight data and cockpit audio. Voice recordings come from individual pilot mics, radio transmissions and an area microphone that picks up background noise in the cockpit.
The flight data recorders will help to show gear and flap positions, thrust settings, and fuel flow. If the engines were making full power, attention will move to the flaps and slats, Goelz said. He added, “If [the trail leads] to a problem in the flight management control system, that would raise serious concerns – not just for Boeing, but for the entire aviation industry.”
With more than 1,100 Boeing 787s operational since 2011, investigators will decide if the issue is systemic or unique to the flight. Experts say the regulatory bodies will need to make fast decisions if the problem is related to a system issue.
Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s President and CEO, stated on June 12th that the company would defer to the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in line with UN ICAO protocol.
The AAIB lab in Delhi will spearhead the data analysis, with involvement from experts from Boeing, engine maker GE, Air India, and Indian regulators. Experts from the NTSB and the UK will also be involved.
According to Goelz, teams can usually determine what happened fairly quickly. He added, “But understanding why it happened can take much longer.”
Additional evidence can be obtained from the wreckage. According to Chinta, “Every part – wire, nut, bolt – will be meticulously collected.” The wreckage may not need a full reconstruction, depending on what the flight data and voice recorders show.
Examination of Evidence
Analysts will also examine fuel filters, lines, and valves to look for contamination. In addition, they’ll gather maintenance and fault history records, as well as data from Boeing’s ACARS system. They will scrutinize pilot records, training, and simulator performance.
The investigators will also review the service history of all components of the aircraft for any issues. According to Goelz, the investigations are complex but there will be early indicators of what likely went wrong. Data recorders today capture thousands of data points every second, which has dramatically transformed how crashes are investigated.
As of 2023, there have been a total of 193 accidents involving Boeing 787s, with 20 of these being fatal (Aviation Safety Network).
The investigation into the Air India crash is ongoing, and the findings will undoubtedly shape aviation safety protocols worldwide.
