Air India Pilots Conduct Simulated Flight to Probe Dual Engine Failure Theory in Tragic Ahmedabad Crash
Air India Pilots Conduct Simulated Flight to Probe Dual Engine Failure Theory in Tragic Ahmedabad Crash
New Delhi - In the wake of the catastrophic crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, the airline's pilots have conducted a simulated flight to reenact the final moments of the ill-fated aircraft. The exercise was aimed at investigating the strong possibility of a dual-engine failure being the primary cause of the tragedy that claimed 241 lives on June 12, 2025.
The simulated flight, held independently of the official investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), sought to determine if the aircraft's configuration at the time of the incident could have led to the crash. According to sources familiar with the matter, the simulation, which replicated the flight's parameters with the landing gear deployed and wing flaps retracted, did not result in a crash. This outcome has intensified the focus on a potential technical malfunction as the root cause of the disaster.
The tragic incident involved Air India Flight AI-171, which was en route from Ahmedabad to London. The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, leading to one of India's most devastating aviation accidents.
Investigations into the crash have been pointing towards a simultaneous loss of power in both of the aircraft's engines. This theory is supported by the fact that the aircraft's Ram Air Turbine (RAT) was deployed. The RAT is a small emergency propeller that automatically activates to provide essential hydraulic and electrical power only in the event of a complete loss of engine power or a major electrical failure.
The preliminary report from the official investigation by the AAIB is awaited. However, the simulated flight's findings provide crucial insights for the ongoing probe. The data from the simulation will be analyzed alongside the information retrieved from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of the crashed aircraft to piece together the sequence of events that led to the tragedy.
The aviation community and the public are keenly awaiting the official findings of the investigation, which is expected to shed light on the precise cause of the dual-engine failure and determine if any underlying issues with the aircraft or its systems contributed to the accident.
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