A Dreamliner’s Descent: Unpacking The Catastrophe Of Air India Flight 171

Last Updated:June 12, 2025, 18:34 IST

Air India Flight 171’s haywire climb and lethal crash will leave scars—on families, communities, and aviation history.

Ahmedabad Plane Crash (Photos: News18)

The roar of the engines. A steady climb. A sleek Boeing 787 8, laden with fuel for its long-haul journey to London, lifts off from Ahmedabad’s Runway 23 – and then, almost instinctively, refuses to climb. Altitude stalls at 625 ft, speed bleeds away, the landing gear still exposed. Seconds later, near a hospital hostel in Meghani Nagar, the jet crashes, erupting into a fireball that rips through passenger dreams and the city’s afternoon calm. That flight was Air India Flight 171 — its dramatic fall marking the first fatal hull-loss of a Dreamliner since its 2011 debut.

Chronology of the Catastrophe: What Happened When

• Date & Flight: June 12, 2025—AI 171, a Boeing 787 8 (registration VT ANB 11 years old with Serial Number 36279), departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, bound for London Gatwick, with 242 people on board (230 passengers and 12 crew).

• Takeoff & Mayday: At 13:38 IST, AI 171 began its takeoff roll. Moments after lift off, the crew issued a “Mayday” call—the aircraft had climbed only to about 625 ft, where radar and ADS B signals abruptly ceased.

• Crucial Configuration Anomaly: Eyewitnesses and grainy video footage show the Dreamliner’s landing gear still extended and the flaps fully retracted—an impossible profile for climb-out, given the necessary lift and drag dynamics .

• Impact: Within a minute of takeoff, the aircraft crashed into a doctors’ hostel at BJ Medical College in Meghani Nagar. A massive fireball erupted on impact, intensified by the heavy fuel load.

The Human Toll & Emergency Response

• Casualties: Officially, 30–35 bodies were recovered at the crash site. More lives are feared lost, both aboard and on the ground. Likely no survivors.

• Nationalities Affected: The 230 passengers included 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian citizen.

• Pilots: Flight deck commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (8,200 hr) and First Officer Clive Kundar (1,100 hr)

• Response: The blaze prompted deployment of multiple fire engines, ambulances, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Hospitals across Ahmedabad mobilized to treat the injured from both aircraft and ground impact.

• Government Aid: Dunking in sorrow, Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, UK PM Keir Starmer, and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy offered support. Crisis centers were set up in both India and the UK.

What Do the Gear & Flap Clues Reveal?

The landing configuration – that is, gear down, flaps retracted – is key.

• Climb-out Principles: After takeoff, correct procedure is to retract flaps incrementally while gear retracts. This achieves the optimum lift-to-drag ratio.

• AI 171’s Profile: Video and eyewitnesses show gear still extended and flaps up, which is aerodynamically unstable for ascent. “Gear still down and the flaps appear up… it doesn’t look as if the flaps are extended”

• Possible Sequence of Events:

1. Engine thrust allowed takeoff, so engines weren’t the problem.

2. Flaps retracted prematurely (below required speed or without gear up).

3. Drag from the extended gear plus insufficient lift caused an aerodynamic stall or uncontrolled descent.

4. At 625 ft, there was no time or altitude to recover.

Technical & Human Factors at Play

Automation & SOPs

• Boeing 787 systems provide warnings for improper takeoff configuration, yet early stages of climb demand precise pilot actions.

• In high-workload phases—like early climb—flaps going up could be difficult to catch and rectify.

Aircraft Type & Past Issues

• The Boeing 787 has had 8 reported incidents since its 2011 debut. AI 171 marks its first fatal hull loss.

• Previous concerns included hydraulic leaks, flap malfunctions, and cockpit seat-switch issues (as seen in the LATAM Flight 800 incident)

LATAM Flight 800 Echoes

• In March 2024, LATAM Flight 800 (787 9) suffered a sudden altitude loss but recovered safely. Investigators pointed to a cockpit seat mismovement and system interruption—showing how minor unintended activation can lead to dramatic control loss .

• In AI 171, while no seat-switch issues are reported, the underlying risk lies in automation vulnerabilities and the possibility of equipment confounding human response.

Investigation, Speculation & Early Findings

• Investigators Involved: India’s AAIB and DGCA, with technical support from Boeing and possibly US FAA .

• Focus Areas:

o Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) to determine the last commands.

o Airframe maintenance logs, including gear and flap systems.

o Weather was clear at the time – so it’s excluded as a primary factor.

• Emerging Clues:

1. Persistent gear down – suggests failure to retract or system override.

2. Flaps up/no lift – lift loss.

3. Human/machine interface – Including electrical interference.

The Human Stories: Voices in the Rubble

• Captain & Co-pilot: Their “Mayday” suggests awareness of catastrophic misconfiguration. What were they seeing in the cockpit?

• Eyewitnesses: Residents of Meghani Nagar spoke of a low-flying aircraft, no whir of retraction—then a devastating impact.

• Families on Standby: Overseas relatives, especially British and Portuguese, await heartbreaking news as Gatwick opens support centres.

• A Nation in Mourning: India, still facing recovery from pandemic toll, now grieves this unprecedented aviation disaster.

The Bigger Picture: Boeing, Safety & Certification

• Boeing Under Pressure: Already beleaguered by the 737 MAX grounding, the 787 crash erodes confidence further. Boeing’s stock futures dropped ~7–8 per cent after AI 171.

• Regulators Revisiting Safety Culture:

o FAA/EASA/DGCA likely to re-examine:

– Takeoff configuration warning systems

– Activation of gear/flap automation

– Cockpit-interface ergonomics and human factors

• Design & Training Implications:

– Enhanced pilot training on early climb scenarios.

– Possible design changes to prevent premature flap retraction or gear anomalies.

– Reassessment of automation trust vs. human oversight.

Technical Breakdown: Why Gear & Flaps Matter

Component Normal Climb Use Anomaly Effect in AI 171

Flaps Extended on takeoff, retracted gradually Retracted too early → dramatic lift loss

Landing Gear Retracted soon after takeoff Remaining down → adds drag, prevents climb

Engines Provide thrust regardless May not be at fault; engines appears fine.

Automation Monitors settings, warns pilots Alarm may not have triggered even if it did, pilot may not have time to react.

Pilot Response Retract gear/flaps in correct sequence Likely disrupted electrical issue or pilot action only FDR will reveal.

What Comes Next: Investigation & Reform

1. Flight Data Review – how did gear/flap commands evolve from 0–625 ft?

2. Maintenance Logs – any unusual behavior in gear extensions, hydraulic systems?

3. CVR Review – capture of cockpit conversation and alarms.

4. Regulatory Response – issuance of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) on system configuration.

5. Boeing Actions – hardware/software patches, training updates, cockpit interface improvements.

10. Lessons for the Industry & Public

• Automation is powerful, but not infallible – Pilots must maintain readiness to override or manually correct.

• Procedural discipline is the back-up – for any technical malfunction.

• Technology must align with ergonomics – Systems should minimize confusion and maximize intuitive feedback.

• Continued vigilance – Even a heavily scrutinized aircraft like the 787 can suffer fatal flaws—but uncovering them strengthens aerospace safety as a whole.

Epilogue: A Legacy in Flames—and Hope in Lessons Learned

Air India Flight 171’s haywire climb and lethal crash will leave scars—on families, communities, and aviation history. Yet within the wreckage lies the potential for systemic change. If Boeing, regulators, and airlines respond swiftly and transparently, this tragedy could become a catalyst—not just for accountability, but for proactive intelligence in aircraft operation.

All answers lie in the FDR’s data. Others in cockpit voice recorder. But for those with departed loved ones, the only comfort lies in knowing this loss will mean safer skies—for others and for future generations.

The writer is a retired officer of the IRS and the former director-general of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.

Group Capt MJ Augustine Vinod VSM (retd) tweets at @mjavinod

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News opinion A Dreamliner’s Descent: Unpacking The Catastrophe Of Air India Flight 171



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