Aviation Expert Explains Pilot's Alleged Mistake that Caused Deadly Air India Crash

• A tragic error during takeoff led to the devastating crash of Air India flight AI171, killing all but one of the 242 people onboard
• Aviation expert Captain Steve believes a simple misstep—the co-pilot mistakenly raising the wing flaps instead of retracting the landing gear—may have caused the aircraft to lose control
• The plane crashed into a medical college in Ahmedabad, western India, marking the worst aviation disaster in a decade and prompting assistance centres to be set up at key airports

Air India flight AI171 crashed on Thursday, killing all but one of the 242 people onboard. The aircraft, which was headed to London Gatwick Airport, tragically went down after a fatal mistake during takeoff.

In response, assistance centres have been set up at London Gatwick and other airports to support grieving friends and relatives.

Fatal mistake behind AI171 disaster

According to aviation expert Captain Steve, a crucial error during the flight's takeoff may have caused the devastating crash.

The co-pilot reportedly raised the wing flaps instead of retracting the landing gear, a simple yet catastrophic mistake.

"This explains a lot of why this airplane stopped flying," Steve said, adding that the error led to an immediate loss of airspeed and altitude, making it nearly impossible for the pilots to recover control.

Flight AI171 crashes into medical college

The Boeing 787 aircraft crashed into a medical college in Ahmedabad, western India, marking the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade.

Eyewitness footage of the crash reportedly shows the wings failing to bend as they normally would during takeoff—a detail that supports the theory that the wing flaps had been mistakenly retracted.

Assistance centres provide support

In the wake of this devastating accident, assistance centres have been set up at London Gatwick and other airports to help friends and relatives of the victims cope with their loss.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident to determine the exact sequence of events leading up to the crash.

This tragedy has sent shockwaves through the aviation community, raising concerns about procedural errors during takeoff.

More details are expected to emerge as officials analyze flight data and eyewitness accounts.

Plane crash in India

India has experienced multiple tragic plane crashes over the years. The Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision in 1996 claimed 349 lives, making it the deadliest aviation accident in the country.

The 1985 Kanishka bombing saw Air India Flight 182 explode mid-air due to a terrorist attack, killing 329 people. In 2010, Air India Express Flight 812 overshot Mangalore’s tabletop runway, resulting in 158 fatalities.

The Kozhikode crash in 2020 killed 21 when a repatriation flight skidded off the runway. Other incidents, such as the Mumbai crash of 1978 and the Patna disaster of 2000, have shaped India’s aviation safety protocols.

Airplane carrying 200 passengers crashes

Legit.ng earlier reported that a London-bound Air India flight crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, western India, with more than 200 passengers onboard.

The incident has sent shockwaves across the aviation industry, prompting swift emergency responses, BBC confirmed.

Air India confirmed the crash, stating, "Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today." The airline has yet to release further details on the circumstances surrounding the crash or the condition of those onboard.

Source: Legit.ng