Flight expert suggests troubling theory in deadly Air India crash

More than 260 people died when Air India flight A171 crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday. While the exact cause remains unknown, aviation experts are now sharing disturbing theories about what went wrong.

Air India flight A171 was heading from Ahmedabad, India, to London’s Gatwick Airport when it crashed into a residential neighborhood just minutes after takeoff. The crash killed 241 of the 242 people on board, as well as several people on the ground. The area it hit was home to many medical students, doctors, and their families.

Eyewitnesses described horrifying scenes, with bodies on the ground and flames consuming the wreckage. Some residents reportedly jumped from second and third floors to escape the fire.

“I saw people jumping from the building,” said one witness. “We helped get the injured to the hospital.”

Authorities have recovered one of the flight’s two black boxes, which may reveal critical details about the final moments of the flight. The second black box and full analysis of the data are still pending.

What experts think may have happened

Although investigators are still gathering facts, some aviation experts have suggested early theories based on crash footage and flight data.

Dr. Sonya Brown, an aerospace design expert at the University of New South Wales, believes the plane might have stalled due to a sudden loss of thrust. “If you lose speed, you lose lift—and that can cause a stall,” she told The Guardian.

Radar data showed the plane only reached around 190 meters before losing altitude and crashing. The pilots had issued a mayday call shortly after takeoff, suggesting something went wrong very quickly.

Professor John McDermid, a safety expert at the University of York, said takeoff is one of the most dangerous moments in a flight. “It’s surprising that this happened before the plane reached even 200 meters. Something must have gone very wrong very suddenly.”

Weather and aircraft condition not seen as causes

Experts have largely ruled out bad weather or fuel overload as likely causes.

According to Professor Paul Williams, a weather scientist, the conditions at the time were good—clear skies, light winds, and no signs of turbulence. “There’s no indication that weather was a factor,” he said.

Meanwhile, Professor Graham Braithwaite of Cranfield University noted that this is the first major crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. He explained that takeoff is a critical phase where fast decision-making is essential.

Terry Tozer, a former airline pilot, urged caution about jumping to conclusions. “It’s far too early to speculate,” he said. “But this kind of plane should be able to handle some failures during takeoff—it’s a puzzle why something so catastrophic happened.”

Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said the airline is working closely with Boeing and GE Aerospace. “We’ve asked for their best experts to assist us,” he stated during a press briefing.

As families mourn and investigators search for answers, the world watches and waits. One black box has been recovered, but until the full data is reviewed, the true cause of this heartbreaking tragedy remains unknown.

Our thoughts are with the victims and their families during this painful time.