The tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London, shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, 2025, has prompted intense scrutiny into the possible causes of the disaster. Aviation experts are weighing in on potential factors, with "loss of thrust" emerging as a key area of focus.
The crash, which claimed the lives of 241 passengers and crew in addition to 38 on the ground, occurred in the Meghani Nagar area of Ahmedabad, near the BJ Medical College hostel. The sole survivor, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, is currently receiving treatment. The final communication from the cockpit, "Thrust not achieved... falling... Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" underscores the critical issue of propulsion that investigators are now examining.
Alok Singh, a retired Captain and aviation expert, suggested several potential causes, including loss of thrust on both engines, possibly due to fuel starvation, bird strike, pilot error, or a technical fault. He emphasized the importance of the black box, which has been recovered, in determining the precise cause of the crash. The black box contains the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFTR), which will provide crucial data and cockpit communications.
Echoing this concern, aviation expert Mirza Faizan also highlighted the propulsion system as a likely cause, pointing to possible engine failure or fuel system problems. Ahmed Busnaina, an airplane engineer, stated that the pilot's distress call indicated an engine issue, as takeoff requires maximum engine power. He suggested several mechanical reasons for engine failure, such as corrosion, blade breakage, overheating, oil leaks, or insufficient fuel supply. He also raised the possibility of a throttle system failure, noting that many newer airplanes have automatic throttle systems that could malfunction.
Other experts have raised the possibility of pilot error. Captain Steve Scheibner, a veteran commercial airline pilot, suggested that the co-pilot might have inadvertently raised the flaps instead of the landing gear after being instructed to do so. Marco Chan, a former pilot, noted concerns that the flaps appeared to have been retracted and the undercarriage remained down in takeoff footage.
Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation safety consultant and former crash investigator, noted that investigators would be looking at whether wing flaps were set correctly, whether the engine lost power, whether alarms were going off inside the cockpit, and whether the plane’s crew correctly logged information about the hot temperature outside and the weight of the fuel and passengers.
The investigation is ongoing, with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) working to extract data from the flight data recorder. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered enhanced safety inspections for Air India's entire Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 fleet in response to the crash.
