Experts from the US and UK are expected to join Indian investigators in the coming days to ascertain what caused the London-bound Flight AI171 to crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon, which killed at least 270 people.
Newslaundry spoke to multiple Dreamliner-rated pilots to understand what might have gone wrong during the aircraft’s takeoff.
Pilots walked us through standard operating procedures – engine start, taxi checks, flap configuration, takeoff thrust application, and rotation.They discussed both the possible contributing factors and those that can likely be ruled out – such as incorrect or missed flap settings, excessive takeoff weight, miscalculated thrust, or an engine issue during the initial climb.
Some pointed to the fact that even if flaps were not fully deployed, a Boeing 787 can still get airborne – but with compromised lift. Others noted that if the landing gear remains extended longer than necessary, it can reduce climb performance further.
Dual engine failure, retracted landing gear
A Boeing 787 Air India pilot explained that flight preparation begins well before arriving at the airport, with pilots studying flight documents, sent via email in advance, which cover aircraft details, route, and weather.
“After airport check-in, we head to flight dispatch for a briefing and breath analyser test, followed by a final review of documents, including aircraft weight, fuel needs, and MEL (Minimum Equipment List) items. If MEL issues don’t impact safety, extra fuel isn’t required. Pilots then inspect the aircraft with the flight engineer before declaring it “fit to fly,” and only after thorough internal and external checks do they proceed with standard checklists,” said the pilot.
A key feature of the Boeing 787 is the EICAS (Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System), which notifies the crew about technical issues on the ground and in the air. However, for some critical failures like dual engine failure or stall, the EICAS does not provide a warning. EICAS will provide warning for individual engine failure but dual engine failure is an unannunciated checklist, which it will never come on EICAs.
In the Ahmedabad crash, the air traffic control (ATC) reportedly heard Captain Sumeet Subharwal declare a ‘mayday’ call and mention a loss of thrust, power and lift, which could possibly indicate a dual engine failure, an event not automatically triggered by the EICAS.
“What raises further concern is that the landing gear appeared to remain extended until impact, even after liftoff. Normally, after the co-pilot calls out ‘positive rate’, the gear-up command is standard to reduce drag and help the aircraft climb. The gear staying down would have significantly reduced the aircraft’s lift capability. In the video footage, the gear appears to start retracting and then stops, as if it was manually re-extended, which is puzzling and difficult to explain,” said the pilot.
The pilot stated that as per Boeing’s own procedures, in case of a failure immediately after takeoff, no action is taken until 400 feet AGL (Above Ground Level), except two things. One is to retract the landing gear to reduce drag and gain altitude. And the other is at 200 feet, to engage the autopilot, which is optional but often helps pilots manage the situation more precisely.
Then, at 400 feet, pilots are expected to identify the failure and begin memory actions. In a Dual Engine Failure, both fuel control switches must be turned off to reset the EEC (engine electronic controller) – the brain of the engine – giving it a chance to reboot and possibly restore power.
“Finally, we must also consider the Ahmedabad airport (AMD) layout, including the takeoff and departure sectors. Bird activity is regularly mentioned in AMD’s ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service) and it could have played a role in this catastrophic event. But chances are less because bird hits don't affect in such a manner on such large engines. Before concluding any possibilities, all these technical and environmental factors need to be thoroughly examined,” the pilot said.
Flap and gear issues
Another Boeing- 787 pilot with Air-India explained that specifically at the Ahmedabad airport, takeoffs from Runway 23 typically require backtracking. The pilots would enter the runway from Taxiway Papa 5 after ensuring that the approach end is clear, particularly from the left-hand side. After backtracking and lining up, once we receive the takeoff clearance, we again confirm that all engine parameters are within normal limits.
“We then go through the before takeoff checklist, which includes ensuring all electronic checklist items are green. If anything isn’t, we resolve it before proceeding. This is a built-in backup feature of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Once all checklist items are green, we’re positive and ready to go for takeoff,” the pilot said.
Sometimes, as per Air India SOP, the pilot-in-command (PIC) may delegate the takeoff to the first officer (FO). In such a case, the FO becomes the pilot flying (PF) and the PIC acts as the pilot monitoring (PM). During the roll, thrust is first advanced to 40 percent N1 (engine power), then stabilised for two seconds as per SOP. After that, the TOGA (takeoff/go-Around) switch is pressed.
If the FO is the one flying, they have both hands on the control column, while the PIC keeps one hand on the thrust levers to ensure takeoff thrust is building as per the pre-calculated values. At 80 knots, the PM calls out, “80 knots,” and the PF confirms, “Checked.”
Then come the callouts for V1 and Rotate. Rotate speed is typically calculated as V2 + 15 knots under normal conditions. In cases of possible malfunctions, the range may extend to V2 + 25, but in this case, it appears to have been a normal takeoff roll, so V2 + 15 was the standard.There is no exact take-off speed, it depends on the take-off weight of the aircraft,runway length and temperature. In a Dreamliner, V1 is generally around 140-150 kts (VI is the takeoff decision speed if something goes wrong prior to reaching this speed take off can be aborted and aircraft can be stopped at the remaining runway but once it reached and beyond one has to continue the take-off even if there is some problem) and V2 is nothing less than 170 kts (V2 is take off safety speed at which an aircraft can safely climb even with one engine failure)
“After liftoff, we aim to establish a positive rate of climb, which is usually confirmed within five to seven seconds after becoming airborne. Once confirmed by checking the barometric altitude, the call is made: ‘positive rate,’ followed by the standard response: ‘gear up’,” said the pilot.
However, in this case, as seen in the video, the landing gear was never retracted. “We don’t know whether this was due to a malfunction or something else, but the gear remained down the entire time, which is concerning. Even in such situations, Boeing 787 procedures dictate that at 200 feet, the autopilot may be engaged if the PF chooses. At 400 feet, the crew must identify the failure. If autopilot is engaged, then at 400 feet, both pilots reconfirm the failure and begin memory actions. Once memory items are completed, the pilots coordinate and decide what needs to be communicated further to the ATC or cabin,” he added.
That’s the standard flow as per Boeing and Air India SOPs. What happened in this case raises several questions, especially regarding why the gear wasn't retracted, and whether a system failure or crew procedure played a role.
“Several people are saying the pilots forgot to set the flaps for takeoff, but even if that were the case, the aircraft did lift off and was airborne. If the flaps were not set properly for takeoff, the Boeing 787’s onboard system, specifically the EICAS, would alert the pilots with a warning or caution message,” he added.
This is part of the aircraft’s ‘takeoff configuration warning’ system. It checks critical settings like flaps, trim, speedbrakes, and parking brakes before takeoff.
“In short, the aircraft itself alerts the pilots if it’s not properly configured for takeoff. And even in the worst-case scenario, if we assume that warning was somehow ignored, the fact remains that the aircraft did get airborne. So the theory that the crash happened solely because the flaps weren’t set is highly improbable. It’s also extremely unlikely that a senior commander with over 8,000 flying hours would forget to deploy the flaps. And even if he did, it's hard to believe he would ignore a clear cockpit alert.”
‘Dreamliner won’t let even a pilot crash it’
While speaking to Newslaundry, another Air India pilot with the rating of Boeing 787, said, “The Dreamliner is a unique aircraft not just in design, but in how it earned its name. The name ‘Dreamliner’ was chosen through a public vote, but among pilots it came to represent something more: an aircraft so advanced, so smartly engineered, that even if a pilot tries to crash it, the aircraft wouldn’t let them. It’s built with multiple layers of flight envelope protection, meaning it physically restricts pilots from banking too steeply or exceeding pitch or speed limits that could compromise safety.
Its fly-by-wire system constantly monitors control inputs and intervenes if those inputs go beyond safe parameters. It’s designed to resist mishandling, even in high-stress scenarios. That’s why, for many of us who fly it, this is not just a jet, it’s one of the safest, smartest machines in the sky. And that’s what makes this crash even more shocking. This is the first time a 787 has gone down. It defies everything we know about this aircraft.”
Another airline pilot with operational knowledge on the Boeing 787 told Newslaundry, “From the available video, it’s clear that the landing gear remained extended throughout the flight. Landing gear creates significant aerodynamic drag, which in turn reduces the aircraft’s ability to generate lift. That alone would have severely impacted the aircraft’s climb performance.
Secondly, even if flaps weren’t deployed for takeoff ,which is being speculated, the aircraft had already lifted off, which suggests it had sufficient thrust and lift to get airborne. The engines should have been able to sustain a climb in such a scenario.
Third, even in the event of a single engine failure, the Dreamliner is fully capable of flying and climbing out safely on the remaining engine. It is designed for that.
However, if there was a dual engine failure, then recovery becomes extremely difficult, especially at low altitude. The standard simulator training for dual engine failure is practiced at or above 1,000 feet. At just 625 feet, as was the case here, there is virtually no altitude margin to carry out the recovery procedure.”
While giving further details about mechanism during dual engine failure, the pilot commented, “The Ram Air Turbine, or RAT, is a small wind-powered backup turbine that automatically deploys on the Boeing 787 in case of a complete electrical and hydraulic failure. It extends from the belly of the aircraft – specifically aft (rear or tail section of an aircraft) of the right main landing gear – and uses the airstream to generate emergency power.”
Once deployed, it drops down and spins like a small propeller in the airstream. Its primary function is to generate enough electrical and hydraulic power to keep essential systems like flight controls, instruments, and communication alive – just enough to keep the aircraft flyable.
It’s an automatic, last-resort system, typically triggered when both engines fail or when all other power sources are lost. So, if the RAT is seen deployed near the landing gear in crash footage, it usually indicates a serious in-flight emergency, such as a dual engine failure, where the aircraft’s systems are trying to preserve basic controllability.”
‘Avoid speculating pilot’s error’
“As for pilot error, it's important to avoid speculation at this stage regarding them. The crew was in command of a highly advanced aircraft and had the lives of many in their hands. Based on what we know so far, it seems they could have done everything they could in a very short span of time,” the Air India pilot said.
Captain Suhail Handa, former airline pilot and expert in aviation and flight training, said, “A dual engine failure is among the rarest events in aviation; something that might occur once in a hundred thousand flights. The entire system is built with multiple layers of safeguards, making such failures virtually unheard of. The most common and logical cause of engine failure in such a scenario is disruption of fuel supply.”
Other theories such as missed flap settings, failure to retract landing gear, or bird strike appear less likely, he added. The Dreamliner’s engines are exceptionally large and robust; a routine bird strike is highly unlikely to cause this level of failure, although it’s not impossible. “If the aircraft had managed to lift off and reach 600 feet without flaps, then an operational engine would definitely take it further and continue climbing. Yes, landing gear should have been retracted at 600 feet as would have created drag but still with operational engines it could have climbed further,” the pilot said.
“However, if an aircraft reaches 600 feet after V1 and VR but is unable to climb further, that strongly points to a significant loss of engine power. Prima facie, this appears to be a case of sudden and complete power loss. As of now, we cannot comment about pilot error and can only talk about the possibilities,” he added.
Until the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) offered clarity, all pilots interviewed urged caution in blaming the crew. “They had seconds to respond,” one said. “Let’s wait for the final investigation report.”
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