Firefighters at the site of the plane crash in Ahmedabad, India. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Family members grieving over the death of a crew member who was on board the crashed Air India Flight AI171. PHOTO: AFP

More than 200 people are known to have died, including those on the ground. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Aviation experts suggest that a potential cause of the Air India Flight AI171 crash could be a bird strike, hindering the plane's take-off speed. The flight was en route to London Gatwick Airport before the tragic incident occurred.

Investigators are focusing on understanding the nature of the mayday transmission from the crashed Air India flight in Ahmedabad on June 12. Aviation professionals believe that a bird strike might have prevented the plane from reaching the necessary speed for take-off.

According to Hemanth DP, a prominent figure in the aviation industry, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner involved had a flawless track record. The sudden crash just minutes after take-off at a low altitude of about 600 feet indicates a catastrophic failure.

The flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew members, resulting in over 290 fatalities, including individuals on the ground. Despite the devastating outcome, there was one survivor from the aircraft.

While it is premature to determine the exact cause, amateur videos of the crash suggest that a significant number of birds would have had to impact both engines simultaneously to bring down the plane so swiftly after take-off.

Bird strikes pose a common wildlife hazard in aviation, often occurring during take-off, landing, or low-altitude flights. These incidents can be perilous, particularly if birds are sucked into the engines or collide with critical aircraft components.

When a bird strike happens, pilots may declare a mayday emergency, as was the case with the Air India flight before losing contact with air traffic control. The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation confirmed the pilot's mayday call.

Notable past incidents involving bird strikes include a Jeju Air crash in South Korea in 2024 and the emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009. These events underscore the potential dangers associated with bird strikes in aviation.

Michael Daniel, a respected aviation consultant, emphasized the significance of the mayday emergency transmission details for investigators. Analyzing video footage and data recorders will be crucial in understanding the circumstances leading to the crash.

As the investigation progresses, locating and interpreting data from the flight recorders and cockpit voice recorder will provide valuable insights into the tragic Air India Flight AI171 crash.

Rohini Mohan is The Straits Times’ India Correspondent based in Bengaluru. She covers politics, business, and human rights in the South Asian region.

Kok Yufeng is a transport correspondent at The Straits Times.

Source: The Straits Times