When Skies Fail Us

On a seemingly ordinary Thursday afternoon, a tragic episode reminded us that though aviation is considered one of the safest means of transportation, it is not hazard-free.

- INDIRA VASHISHTA CARENA

Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner heading to London, crashed in seconds after it took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The plane crashed in Meghani Nagar, a high-density residential neighborhood, and shockwaves ran through the aviation world and beyond.

The aircraft had 256 seats and 242 passengers: 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian citizen, along with 12 crew members.

As a retired commercial pilot and aviation historian, Dan Bubb explains, "You could tell that the jet was fighting very hard to get lift. That means there was either some malfunction or mechanical failure."

This crash has once more put Boeing's Dreamliner in the spotlight, even as it has a reputation for being one of the most advanced and fuel-efficient models in the air.

Air India Flight AI171 departed from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport around 3:10 PM, bound for London Gatwick. A few minutes later, it issued a mayday call due to loss of engine thrust and loss of altitude. Sadly, it could not return to the runway and crashed in the heavily populated Meghani Nagar neighborhood.

Boeing and GE Aerospace, the engine supplier, confirmed they are cooperating fully with Indian officials and the DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) to uncover the reason for the crash.

The investigators have also retrieved the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the top of a hostel. The two vital pieces will aid in establishing the precise reason behind the crash. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Boeing, and GE Aerospace are all conducting the investigation together. Over 40 agencies are involved, examining several possibilities: mechanical failure, flap or landing gear malfunction, bird strike, abnormally hot weather conditions, overloading, and even software problems.