A chance to restore air travel trust

• The fatal crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, has sparked fear among air travelers due to TRP-seeking media channels.

• YouTube channels have been circulating theories about the cause of the accident, which are then shared by viewers.

• The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the United States and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the United Kingdom are investigating the wreckage.

• The only survivor on board reported hearing a loud thud and flickering lights on board.

• The deployment of the RAT or ram air turbine on the aircraft has sparked discussions on dual engine failure due to power malfunctions.

• CCTV footage released by the airport operator and widely distributed on YouTube provides a good idea of what could have happened in those few seconds.

• The statement that the aircraft took up the entire length of the runway for take off is another useful item to analyze the accident.

• The take off acceleration appears normal in the first 18 seconds of the video, but the nose swinging to the right indicates engine failure.

• The video frame shows the aircraft inside a cloud of dust, suggesting it picked up debris from just beyond the end of the runway.

• The second engine may have failed due to debris ingestion or bird ingestion.

• The aircraft sinks slowly due to a stall and impacts a building before exploding in flames.

Flight IC571 Incident and Flight Safety Study

• Flight IC571 incident occurred on September 29, 1986, on an Indian Airlines Airbus A300 aircraft from Chennai to Mumbai.

• The aircraft was rotated for lift-off, but the pilot failed to abort the takeoff due to loud noise and severe vibrations from the right engine.

• The pilots were blamed for making the decision to reject the takeoff after the aircraft had been rotated for lift-off, which was beyond the take-off safety speed.

• The captain of AI 171 was lost, along with his crew and passengers.

• The long take-off run could have been due to overloading, with passengers carrying more than the permitted seven kilograms of hand baggage.

• The pilots failed to recognize the slow acceleration and forget to retract the landing gear on take-off.

• The Federal Aviation Administration and the NTSB should provide answers to these issues.

• The trust in air travel is one of the safest modes of transport, and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has a 14-year safety record.