The cause of the tragic Ahmedabad Air India Boeing Dreamliner plane crash is expected to be revealed through an examination of the aircraft’s black box. Recovery efforts are ongoing, and hopes are high that a detailed analysis will shed light on the final moments of the flight. In the meantime, discussions continue to swirl around what exactly went wrong.
The ill-fated flight had many British citizens on board, all of whom perished in the crash. While there is no official confirmation of sabotage at this stage, initial assessments point toward a technical failure. This theory is primarily based on the May Day call issued by the pilot to air traffic control shortly before the crash.
However, the sabotage angle remains under active investigation, with the involvement of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) providing clear evidence of this. At the same time, British aviation experts have begun their own inquiry into the incident.
A new theory has emerged, stirring debate: some aviation observers are questioning whether the co-pilot may have mistakenly raised the wing flaps instead of the landing gear upon the captain’s command. This speculation has been highlighted by British pilot and aviation YouTuber, Steve, who believes a critical cockpit error may have occurred.
“In my opinion, the captain likely instructed the co-pilot to raise the landing gear at the appropriate time,” Steve said. “But the co-pilot may have grabbed the flap lever instead and retracted the flaps. If that happened, the aircraft would have lost lift, speed, and altitude, making it extremely difficult to control.”
Steve added that on a Boeing 787, the composite wings usually bend upwards during takeoff due to lift forces, but such a movement was reportedly not seen in the Air India aircraft. This absence raises further questions.
Meanwhile, the search efforts have finally located the aircraft’s black box, specifically, the digital flight data recorder, above the BJ Medical College hostel, where the aircraft had crashed. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has since taken over the inquiry.
Unofficial reports suggest that over 290 people may have lost their lives in the disaster. Of the 241 onboard, around 49 others on the ground, primarily residents and staff at the nearby Medical College hostel, are believed to have perished. Given the extensive fire damage, authorities will only release an official death toll after confirming identities through DNA testing.
A thorough analysis of the black box is now expected to provide definitive answers regarding the chain of events that led to the crash.
