There is speculation of right rudder input, which could indicate a left engine failure
A plausible scenario is that the landing gear became stuck
Early analysis of flight visuals from the ill-fated Air India AI171, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, has raised serious questions about the aircraft’s configuration and possible technical malfunctions during its final moments.
Visual analysis indicates that as the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner departed, its landing gear remained extended and its wing flaps were fully retracted—an extremely abnormal situation for the critical initial climb phase. Standard operating procedure for the 787 calls for flaps to be set at 5 (or higher) for takeoff, then gradually retracted only as the aircraft accelerates and gains altitude.
The landing gear is normally retracted once a positive rate of climb is established, usually within seconds after liftoff and well before reaching 600 feet.
Visual evidence shows the landing gear began retracting briefly, but the pilot quickly extended it again, likely realising a loss of thrust or power. The aircraft appeared to suffer a power failure just moments after takeoff.
Another plausible scenario is that the landing gear became stuck in the down position, possibly due to a mechanical or hydraulic failure. In such a situation, the crew might have attempted to retract the flaps early to reduce drag and gain speed, as extended gear and flaps together would create excessive drag and severely limit climb performance.
However, retracting flaps too soon at low altitude and low speed is highly risky, as it reduces lift and increases stall risk.
Despite these issues, the aircraft’s flight path did not show significant yawing or rolling, suggesting the pilots retained some control authority.
There is speculation of right rudder input, which could indicate a left engine failure, but this alone does not explain the unusual configuration of gear down and flaps up.
In normal operations, both the gear and flaps should not be in these positions at such a low altitude.
The combination of extended landing gear and retracted flaps at 600 feet is highly irregular and points toward a possible cascading technical failure or a sequence of emergency actions by the crew in response to a malfunction. The final loss of altitude and apparent stall likely resulted from insufficient lift and excessive drag, leaving the crew unable to recover before impact.
Investigators will focus on these anomalies as they analyse flight data and cockpit recordings in the coming days.
Credit: indiatoday.in
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