Crashed Air India Plane Experienced Fault At 650 Feet: Aviation Minister
In a tragic turn of events, an Air India flight en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, prompting a full-scale emergency response.
According to Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the distressing incident unfolded just minutes after the aircraft, identified as flight AIC 171, departed from Ahmedabad airport at 1:39 PM. The plane was carrying 242 individuals — 230 passengers, two pilots, and ten crew members.
Civil Aviation Ministry Orders Urgent Inspections
The Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said in the press conference that the, "Crashed Air India Plane Experienced Fault At 650 Feet." and the ministry is extending the surveillance for other Boeing 787 aircraft—34 in the Air India fleet.
He said, "We have very strict safety standards in the country...When the incident happened, we also felt that there is a need to do an extended surveillance into the Boeing 787 Series. DGCA has also given an order to do the extended surveillance for the 787 planes. There are 34 in our Indian aircraft fleet today. I believe that 8 have already been inspected and with immediate urgency, all of them are going to be done..."
Final Radio Call: “Mayday. No Thrust, Losing Power”
"Within seconds of takeoff, the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 650 feet before it began to rapidly lose height," Sinha confirmed. “At 1:39 PM, the pilot issued a Mayday call, indicating a full emergency. However, Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control (ATC) received no further response when they attempted to re-establish contact.”
Just one minute later, the aircraft went down in Medhaninagar, a locality situated about two kilometers from the airport. The captain on board was Sumit Sabharwal, with First Officer Clive Sundar as co-pilot.
Suspected Stall: Did the Aircraft Lose Lift?
The final moments of flight AIC 171 are now under intense scrutiny. The mayday message — “Mayday. No thrust, losing power, unable to lift.” — has directed early attention toward a critical loss of engine thrust or aerodynamic lift. Video footage captured by witnesses reveals the aircraft struggling to gain height after takeoff, remaining abnormally low before descending rapidly, raising speculation that the aircraft may have stalled shortly after departure.
Stalling, a condition where an aircraft can no longer generate enough lift to remain airborne, is often linked to insufficient airspeed — which in turn depends on thrust. Preliminary radar data backs the theory that the plane lost speed shortly after takeoff, potentially leading to the stall.
Configuration Concerns: Flaps and Gear Not Set?
Investigators are also examining whether a configuration error may have contributed to the crash. Observers noted that the aircraft's wing flaps — crucial during low-speed takeoffs to generate extra lift — may not have been extended. Compounding concerns, the plane’s landing gear was reportedly still deployed during the crash, a combination that is highly atypical for a routine takeoff.
If the flaps were retracted prematurely or not deployed at all, and the aircraft lacked the necessary thrust, it would have struggled to climb — a deadly scenario, especially during initial ascent.
Black Box Recovered: AAIB Begins Deep-Dive Investigation
“The Ministry is taking the utmost seriousness to the incident. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was immediately mobilised. The DG AAIB immediately rushed to the site to take stock of the situation. One update from the technical investigation team which is happening through AAIB is the recovery of the black box from the accident site at around 5 pm yesterday," the minister said.
He added, "the AAIB team believes that this decoding of the black box is going to give a, in depth insight into what would have actually happened during the process of the crash or moments before the crash itself. We are also eagerly waiting for what the results or the report is going to be once the AAIB goes through its full investigation".
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