What May Have Led To Air India Dreamliner Crash? Here Are 4 Scenarios

New Delhi:

To the naked eye, everything seemed fine when the Air India Boeing 787-8 accelerated during its take-off roll in Ahmedabad airport on Thursday. The next few seconds, however, indicated the plane could be in trouble as it did not gain the altitude usually expected of a passenger aircraft of this size and type. It flew level for a few more seconds before losing altitude. By then the visuals said it loud and clear – the flight was not going to make it.

We look at some theories on what may have caused the crash. The actual investigation will take a few months.

First Scenario: Single Engine Failure, Landing Gears Not Raised, Aircraft Stalled

Immediately after rotation (take-off), as the plane left the runway, a single engine failure or bird strike occurred, drastically increasing the cockpit workload for the two pilots. They focussed on the engine issue and mistakenly did not retract the landing gears, a standard procedure after taking off to reduce drag and improve climb performance.

While troubleshooting, the plane could have slowed below the minimum speed required to maintain control with one engine out, leading to a stall. At approximately 400 feet, recovery from a stall is nearly impossible.

Second Scenario: Rare Dual Engine Failure

An extremely rare dual engine failure occurred shortly after take-off, turning the huge passenger aircraft into a glider with no thrust. Without engine power, the crew couldn’t retract the landing gear, and the resulting drag caused a rapid loss of airspeed, leading to a stall. At such a low altitude, there is no time to run the dual engine failure checklist or attempt an engine restart.

Third Scenario: Wrong Take-Off Flaps Configuration In Wrong Position

Video evidence suggested the flaps were retracted, which is unusual since flaps are always extended during take-off to provide extra lift at low speeds. If a pilot mistakenly retracted the flaps instead of the landing gear during a high-workload situation, such as an engine failure, it would have significantly reduced lift, especially with only one engine operational, potentially causing a stall.

Fourth Scenario: Engine Failure, But Functional Engine Shut Down Accidentally

During an engine failure at 400 feet, the crew mistakenly shut down the operational engine instead of the failed one – a known error in aviation history. At this low altitude, there’s no time to restart the engine, leading to a loss of thrust and control.

Conclusion: Sudden Loss Of Thrust Contributed To Crash

Regardless of the specific cause, the crash likely stemmed from a sudden loss of thrust and the subsequent handling of the aircraft under critical conditions.