Aviation Expert Suggests Co-Pilot's Error Led to Air India Flight AI171 Crash

Strategic Insights -

A critical analysis by Captain Steve, an aviation expert and YouTuber, suggests that the co-pilot on Air India Flight AI171 may have mistakenly pulled the plane's wing flaps instead of retracting the landing gear, leading to the tragic crash in Ahmedabad, India. This catastrophic error would have caused the aircraft to rapidly lose airspeed and altitude, making it extremely challenging to manage. The devastating collision resulted in the death of 241 people on board, marking it as the worst aviation disaster in ten years.

Key Takeaways:

  • Captain Steve's theory is based on observations that the Boeing 787's composite wings did not exhibit bending in footage captured just before the crash, suggesting the flaps might have been inadvertently retracted.
  • The lack of wing flexing, crucial for takeoff, is a significant indicator of the possible error, as it would require the flaps to be in the retracted position.
  • The pilots' combined flying experience exceeded 9,000 hours, yet human error remains a possibility, as conceded by Captain Steve.
  • The co-pilot may have grabbed the flap handle instead of the gear handle, leading to the fatal mistake.
  • Investigations into the crash are ongoing, with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation examining the black box recordings and other possible causes, including engine failure, errors in runway calculation, and a bird strike.
  • 241 people, including the flight's experienced pilots, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar, lost their lives in the tragic crash.
  • Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British man, miraculously survived the crash, despite being seated in a section that largely escaped the brunt of the collision.

Statistics:

  • 242 people were on board Air India Flight AI171, with only 1 sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.
  • The combined flying experience of the pilots exceeded 9,000 hours.
  • The crash marked the worst aviation disaster in ten years.
  • The Boeing 787 aircraft did not exhibit wing flexing in footage captured just before the crash.

Sources:

  • The Mirror [No date]
  • Captain Steve's YouTube channel [No date]