It was a routine takeoff or so it seemed. On June 12, Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Flight AI171, rolled down the runway, lifted smoothly into the sky, and began its climb. The early moments showed nothing unusual: the nose tilted upward, the wings bit into the air, and the aircraft reached 650 feet. Then, without warning, something went terribly wrong.
The plane’s ascent stalled, not in the technical sense, but in the way a runner might falter mid-stride. It levelled off, hung in the air for a breath, then began to sink. Not a plunge, not a nosedive, but a steady, eerie descent.
On the ground in Ahmedabad (western Indian city), where the tragedy occurred, a teenager filming from a nearby residential area captured the final moments: the sleek jet, engines silent, glided downward. Then came the impact.
Associate Professor Aditya Paranjape from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, has spent days piecing together the fragments of this disaster. The footage tells part of the story, the normal takeoff, the sudden loss of momentum, but the deeper mystery lies in the why.
“The take-off appeared normal,” he tells The Indian Sun. “The aircraft rotated and climbed to about 650 feet before its flight path flattened. Soon after, it began to descend and eventually crashed.”
While early speculation suggested a stall, Paranjape rules that out. “A stall occurs when the aircraft’s angle of attack becomes too steep and the wings lose lift. What we observed was a descent rate of around 1,200 feet per minute. That is steep but not characteristic of a stall, which would typically be far more dramatic.”
The Dreamliner’s two engines, each with layers of built-in redundancy, appear to have failed together, a scenario so rare that aviation experts struggle to recall another instance in the 787’s 14-year history. The aircraft, designed to withstand the failure of any single system, shouldn’t have been vulnerable to a total loss of thrust. Yet the evidence, the straight rudder, the lack of engine noise in bystander videos points squarely in that direction.
One detail noted by many observers was that the landing gear remained extended. While some speculated it could indicate pilot error or electrical failure, Paranjape urges caution. “It could be that the pilot didn’t retract the gear or there wasn’t enough power to do so. But at such a low altitude, gear position likely wouldn’t have changed the outcome.”
Other clues only deepen the puzzle. The landing gear, still down as the plane fell, has sparked debate. Did the pilots forget to retract it? Or was it a sign of a deeper electrical failure, leaving the aircraft without the power to pull the wheels up?
Some have pointed to the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a small backup power unit that should have deployed in an emergency, but at such low altitude, even that might not have been enough to save the flight.
For now, answers lie in the battered black boxes, recovered from the wreckage but badly damaged and are expected to be sent to the U.S. for analysis. “The FDR and CVR are incredibly detailed,” he explains. “They’ll tell us everything from airspeed, angle of attack, fuel flow, to what the pilots said and heard.”
Recovery of usable data from the charred boxes could take weeks or even months. Preliminary findings may surface within a month, but a full investigation could take a year or more.
Still, Paranjape is confident that whatever the findings, they will contribute to improving aviation safety. “This aircraft has flown over a billion passengers in 14 years with no major incident until now. That’s a testament to its design. Air India also has a strong technical track record.”
As anxiety about flying surfaces in the wake of the crash, Paranjape offers reassurance.
“Let’s take the Boeing 787 as an example. Despite all the recent media attention around investigations into manufacturing practices and possible flaws—which are, of course, concerning,the fact remains: the 787 has been incredibly safe.”
“This aircraft has flown over a billion passengers, clocked more than 500 million hours, and operated for nearly 14 years without a major incident. That’s an impressive record. You might recall that in its early years, the aircraft was grounded due to battery issues, which were quickly addressed. Since then, it’s maintained a spotless safety record.
“Minor incidents like engine shutdowns or hydraulic system failures do occur across all aircraft types. But modern commercial aircraft are designed with multiple layers of redundancy. A single failure doesn’t lead to disaster. These are complex machines, yes, but they’re engineered to be resilient.
“So, my message to the flying public—including myself, because I fly several times a year—is this: commercial aviation is still fundamentally very safe. And the reason incidents like this grab so much attention is because they’re so rare.”
He urges the public to be wary of social media speculation. “There’s a difference between hypothesis and evidence. Until we see the data, let’s not jump to conclusions.”
Connect with Indira Laisram on X
Support independent community journalism. Support The Indian Sun.
Follow The Indian Sun on X | Instagram | Facebook
✈️#AirIndia's #Boeing787 crashed in #Ahmedabad after losing thrust at 650ft—engines failed despite redundancy. Experts rule out stall; landing gear malfunction. Black boxes sent to US. "Aviation remains safe," assures @paranjape_ap. #TheIndianSun
🔗 https://t.co/AqYvhObfw6 pic.twitter.com/wPcvh0oiof
— The Indian Sun (@The_Indian_Sun) June 21, 2025
Donate To The Indian Sun
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun is an independent organisation committed to community journalism. We have, through the years, been able to reach a wide audience especially with the growth of social media, where we also have a strong presence. With platforms such as YouTube videos, we have been able to engage in different forms of storytelling. However, the past few years, like many media organisations around the world, it has not been an easy path. We have a greater challenge. We believe community journalism is very important for a multicultural country like Australia. We’re not able to do everything, but we aim for some of the most interesting stories and journalism of quality. We call upon readers like you to support us and make any contribution. Do make a DONATION NOW so we can continue with the volume and quality journalism that we are able to practice.
Thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
Team The Indian Sun
