Latest news with #EhsanKhalid
Time of India
9 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Netanyahu's STUNNING Appeal To Iranians As Iranian Missiles Pound Tel Aviv; 'Clearing Your Path'
Air India Crash: Experts Raise Alarming Questions After Aviation Tragedy In Ahmedabad Caught On Cam Experts have reacted strongly to the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, with chilling details emerging from viral crash footage. Former pilot Ehsan Khalid says the aircraft showed no signs of a mid-air explosion but suffered a visible loss of power. A mayday call was made, indicating cockpit awareness of a serious failure. The biggest red flag, according to Khalid, was that the landing gear remained deployed throughout—unusual for a flight that had already taken off. Was it engine failure? A bird hit? Multiple system malfunctions? While the Flight Data Recorder, Cockpit Voice Recorder, and ACARS data will reveal the truth, aviation experts warn against premature conclusions but raise serious technical concerns. The mystery deepens as India awaits the investigation findings.#airindia #airindiacrash #ahmedabadcrash #planecrashindia #aviationexperts #flightgear #pilotmayday #fdr #cvr #breakingnews #aviationsafety #toi #toibharat #bharat #breakingnews #indianews 224.0K views | 1 day ago
NDTV
18 hours ago
- General
- NDTV
Anatomy Of A Disaster: Air Force Pilot's Forensic Analysis Of Air India Crash
New Delhi: An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating as Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday. Out of 242 on board, only one survived. Now the question on everyone's mind is: what exactly happened? Veteran Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot and aviation expert Captain Ehsan Khalid spoke to NDTV to decode the anatomy of one of the deadliest crashes in India's aviation history. Q: There are two videos that we have of the crash. A 36-second video that's been taken from somebody's window. You can see the aircraft descending into the neighbourhood there. And a 59-second video which captures the entire sequence from takeoff to landing. What are your opening comments? Captain Khalid: The only thing conclusive that I can see is that the landing gear has been down throughout, and landing gear is something that should have been taken up in almost all kinds of scenarios that a pilot gets in the aircraft, except when there is wind shear and the aircraft is committed to continue to descend. So we keep the landing gear down consciously. Q: But we counted the time taken from the time the aircraft lifts off till the time it impacts the ground. It's just 32 seconds. Captain Khalid: That is the amount of time it will take to rotate the aircraft to go up. 825 feet is the wrong height, 625 feet is the wrong height. It would not have gone higher than 200 to 250 feet. So the aircraft, when it is taking off, it gets airborne, selects the landing gear up, and keeps the flap. Flaps are lift augmentation devices that allow the aircraft to continue climbing at lower speeds while it is accelerating. So the aircraft gets out of the ground effect. Ground effect, meaning, you know, there is a cushion of air between the wing and the ground. It adds to the lift, reduces the drag. So even if the aircraft speed is low, power is low, it will be able to get out to something like 100 to 150 feet out of the ground effect. Now the aircraft does not have the ground effect. There is a loss of power, or the speed is low. Q: At this point in time, you can see the aircraft instead of continuing to ascend, it seems to level out and then it starts to descend. Captain Khalid: One thing that can be ruled out is that there was no control jam. Control jam means the aircraft pilot moves the control, but it cannot move. It can happen. It does not happen in this case because in one of the videos, you will see the aircraft continuing to pitch up. So that is one of the indications that the aircraft was actively being flown by the pilot. Q: The flaps are another point that has come up for a lot of debate. Let's just talk for a moment about this image. It's a very grainy image, and there are many experts who say you cannot tell one way or the other about the takeoff configuration. Does this look like a takeoff configuration to you? Captain Khalid: No way. I've also tried to zoom it. You cannot say. You cannot make out that the aircraft is having a configuration problem here. Let's assume that the flap is not in the right place, then the system has so much automation, it will shout at you, "Flaps." Q: It will not take off in a wrong configuration, then? Captain Khalid: It is like somebody shouting at you, "Wrong configuration, wrong configuration." You can't take off. So that thing is ruled out. Aircraft has gone up. The flaps, let's assume, not assume, I'm pretty certain that the flap is to the configuration. This aircraft, and many modern aircraft, in fact, all modern aircraft, have got flap auto-retraction mechanisms, and that gets signals from airspeed. It gets signals from the electrical system and sensors. Q: What do you think happened? You know, these are early hours. I understand that. But what is your best guess? Captain Khalid: I will tell you the most probable thing. Looking at the airfield like Ahmedabad, There were a lot of birds. That would cause distraction. But it will cause a loss of power, a loss of the indication system, loss of the airspeed system. That will now create a situation which is totally out of the book for the pilot. So what the pilot did at that point in time is not in the book. It will also preclude the landing gear from going up. It can also cause, without any interference from the pilot, flaps to go up. So let me tell you that Boeing 787 aircraft, having flown 30 million hours, has not had any of this wrong flap retraction. So in the field of speculation, we can speculate a lot, but certainly, the pilot was actively trying to control the aircraft, and they gave a Mayday" call. That means they were seeing something which is visually telling them that things are not right. We'll know about that once the black box is analysed. Q: So there is no way of telling from just this crash video or these still images whether the flaps played some kind of a role. That's what you're saying? Captain Khalid: Absolutey. From here you can't conclude. But the fact remains that the aircraft did not do a successful flight. There was a loss of lift. Loss of lift can happen because of loss of airspeed.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Former pilot weighs in on Ahmedabad plane crash: ‘Loss of power likely, but dual engine failure rare'
Former pilot Ehsan Khalid said the visuals of the Air India plane crash in Gujarat's Ahmedabad suggest a "loss of power" in the aircraft, though he found it unlikely that both engines failed at the same time. He said key data sources such as the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder will reveal the actual cause of the crash that claimed several lives. Also Read: Woman who missed Air India flight by 'just 10 minutes' talks about lucky escape: 'My body is shivering' "The Flight Data Recorder, Cockpit Voice Recorder, and the ACARS data will provide the exact cause of the crash. The visuals show the aircraft went down while flying, which means there was no mid-air explosion. The loss of power could be due to engine malfunction, but it is very unlikely that both engines would lose power simultaneously," he said while speaking to ANI. Khalid also pointed to a possible early engine issue, questioning why the landing gear remained down after takeoff. Also Read: Moments of terror: Locals run for cover after Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad "The pilot gave a mayday call, meaning the failure was detected in the cockpit. They went airborne while handling that failure... But I don't understand why the landing gear was still is typically retracted immediately after takeoff. This could suggest that a loss of engine power was detected beforehand," he said. He cautioned against premature conclusions, citing many possible factors. "There are many variables, and any speculation would be unjust... The biggest question is why the landing gear was not up. The flight was only at a height of 600 feet... Whether it was a single failure or multiple issues, no one can say anything yet," he said. Also Read: Death all around, but he survived: Surviving passenger walks after jumping from crashed Ahmedabad plane | Watch The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members, crashed shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon. According to senior police officials, the aircraft crashed into a doctor's hostel located just outside the airport perimeter. "After the takeoff, the plane crashed here and after a preliminary enquiry, we got to know that the ... plane crashed into a building, which is a doctors' hostel," Jaipal Singh Rathore, Joint Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad, told reporters. Air India confirmed that flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick was involved in an accident shortly after takeoff at 13:38 IST. "Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hours, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number, 1800 5691 444, to provide more information. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident," the airline said in a statement. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours. According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls made by ATC. The aircraft, immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. An official said that heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site. Rescue and relief operations were ongoing, with multiple agencies working on-site to assist survivors and investigate the cause of the crash.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 days ago
- General
- Business Standard
What caused Air India plane crash? Clues point to power failure, not blast
Air India flight AI171, en route to London Gatwick airport with 242 people on board, crashed into a residential neighbourhood in Meghani Nagar, near Ahmedabad airport. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft took off from Ahmedabad at 1.55 pm before crashing shortly after. The aircraft, under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with 8,200 hours of experience and First Officer Clive Kundar with 1,100 hours of experience, had barely left the ground before it encountered critical issues. Media reports indicate the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner may have gone down due to possible engine failure, loss of control, or instrumentation issues. Analysis of the Flight Data Recorder, Cockpit Voice Recorder, and ACARS transmissions will be crucial in determining the exact cause of the incident. Loss of power likely, say ex-pilot 'The visuals show that the aircraft went down while flying. Which means there was no mid-air explosion... The visuals show that the aircraft faced a loss of power... The loss of power can be due to engine malfunction, but it is very unlikely that both engines would lose power simultaneously... It is a very big engine, and it is rare that both engines lose power due to a bird hit in a one-minute duration,' said former pilot Ehsan Khalid, speaking to news agency ANI. 'Since the landing gear was down, it is possible that a loss of engine was detected beforehand. There are many variables, and any speculation would be unjust,' Khalid said. #WATCH | Air India Plane Crash | Noida, UP: Former Pilot Ehsan Khalid says, "... The Flight Data Recorder, Cockpit Voice Recorder and the ACARS data will tell exactly what may have happened. The visuals show that the aircraft went down while flying. Which means there was no… — ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2025 Pilot issued distress call before silence According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner issued a 'Mayday' distress call – an aviation emergency signal – moments before contact was lost with Air Traffic Control (ATC). 'It gave a MAYDAY call to ATC, but thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC,' DGCA mentioned. 'The pilot initially appeared to be sending a message seeking help after detecting a problem. Shortly after, he issued a 'mayday' distress call,' said Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, speaking to journalists. Investigations are underway, he said. Boeing 787 safety concerns resurface Despite its cutting-edge design and popularity around the world, Boeing's Dreamliner has faced multiple safety concerns. In March 2024, Chile's LATAM Airlines Boeing 787-9 plunged mid-air, injuring 50 passengers due to a cockpit seat fault. Pilots have previously reported issues such as engine icing, fuel leaks, and electrical faults. In 2013, two lithium-ion battery fires — one on a parked aircraft in Boston and another mid-flight in Japan — led to a global grounding of the fleet. The FAA halted operations until Boeing redesigned the battery systems to ensure safety.
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Air India Crash: Experts Raise Alarming Questions After Aviation Tragedy In Ahmedabad Caught On Cam
Experts have reacted strongly to the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, with chilling details emerging from viral crash footage. Former pilot Ehsan Khalid says the aircraft showed no signs of a mid-air explosion but suffered a visible loss of power. A mayday call was made, indicating cockpit awareness of a serious failure. The biggest red flag, according to Khalid, was that the landing gear remained deployed throughout—unusual for a flight that had already taken off. Was it engine failure? A bird hit? Multiple system malfunctions? While the Flight Data Recorder, Cockpit Voice Recorder, and ACARS data will reveal the truth, aviation experts warn against premature conclusions but raise serious technical concerns. The mystery deepens as India awaits the investigation findings.#airindia #airindiacrash #ahmedabadcrash #planecrashindia #aviationexperts #flightgear #pilotmayday #fdr #cvr #breakingnews #aviationsafety #toi #toibharat #bharat #breakingnews #indianews Read More
