As devastated families of the victims on board Air India Flight A171 wait for answers, experts share their thoughts on what might have caused the disaster
As shocking footage showing the smouldering wreckage of a plane bound for London’s Gatwick Airport takes over social media, aviation experts have been watching in disbelief.
The plane exploded into a fireball after losing signal and crashing into a residential area of Ahmedabad, western India, just five minutes after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
And although it’s too early to know for sure why the 11-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed so shortly after take-off, experts are saying it’s unusual for accidents to occur at that stage of the journey.
Prof John McDermid, Lloyd’s Register Chair of Safety, University of York, said: “Take-off and landing are the most dangerous phases of flight – accidents from cruise are very unusual.
“However, that said, it’s surprising that the accident occurred before the aircraft had even got to 200 metres altitude.
“Pilots can abort take-off until quite late in the take-off roll, so it seems like the problem occurred very suddenly in the final part of the take-off roll, or shortly after take-off, and was sufficiently serious to be unmanageable.”
Air India Flight 171: No survivors expected as police give heartbreaking update
But it doesn’t look like the accident was caused by the weather. Prof Paul Williams, Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Reading, said: “At the time of the departure, the weather conditions at the airport appear to have been very good.
“It was a dry and sunny day in Ahmedabad, with temperatures near 40°C. There was good visibility and light winds from the west. There was no bad weather in the vicinity. There is no indication at this stage that turbulence or other weather conditions were a factor in the crash.”
And Prof Graham Braithwaite, Director of Aerospace and Aviation, Cranfield University, added: “This is the first major accident involving the 787. Take off is a critical stage because the aircraft is still accelerating and any problem-solving requires a rapid response.”
Shortly after departing the plane reportedly gave a “mayday” call, indicating an emergency situation but it then fell silent.
Air India said: “The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals.”
Police have said they are not expecting any survivors.
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