60 seconds that stunned the nation: Experts break down India’s deadliest air crash

In what is now being called one of India’s most catastrophic aviation disasters, a 60-second flight turned fatal as an Air India Boeing Dreamliner 787 crashed just 1.6 km from the Ahmedabad airport moments after takeoff on June 12 at 1:38 PM. The aircraft, which had taken off from runway 20, failed to gain the required altitude and crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel, raising nationwide alarm and sparking deep technical investigation.Initial reports suggest that although the takeoff was normal, something went drastically wrong in the next 40 seconds. Experts believe both engines might have failed simultaneously — a highly rare and alarming event. Normally, if one engine fails, a plane can still land safely. However, video analysis showed the aircraft’s nose dipping rapidly after liftoff, indicating complete loss of thrust.Further suspicion falls on possible human error or technical malfunction, such as incorrect flap settings or failure to retract the landing gear, both of which increase drag and reduce thrust. Experts point to a rare but possible scenario where the pilot, sensing an emergency, deliberately kept the landing gear down for a crash landing, reducing time to react.American aviation expert John M. Cox highlighted that slats and flaps may not have been properly deployed, pointing to maintenance or system errors. Meanwhile, pilot Captain Alok Singh raised concerns about a probable miscommunication between aircraft systems and the pilot, which might have led to improper gear/flap configurations.The intense heat — 40°C on the day — may have reduced air density, affecting engine performance. If contaminated fuel or improper fuel-air mixture was present, it could have choked engine thrust. There's also the possibility of faulty speed sensors, misleading the flight management computer into retracting flaps early — a scenario that can disrupt lift and cause a fatal nose dive.Adding to the theories is a possible software error or bird strike, though these are yet unconfirmed. Crucial answers now rest with the black box — consisting of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) — which will reveal the final conversations and technical data from the cockpit.

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