Air India Veteran Breaks Silence on Ahmedabad Plane Crash — Points to Technical Failures

Ahmedabad Plane Crash:** A pilot who had previously flown the Air India aircraft that crashed in Ahmedabad has revealed several shocking facts related to the incident. Retired Air India Captain Rakesh Rai, who appeared in the NDTV newsroom, provided key technical insights into the crash. Captain Rakesh Rai retired from Air India just last year and has flown the Boeing 787 Dreamliner during his service. The aircraft that crashed on Thursday was also a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, considered one of the most advanced aircraft in the world. This was the first crash in the 15-year history of the Dreamliner.

Air India Veteran Breaks Silence on Ahmedabad Plane Crash — Points to Technical Failures

Something Likely Went Wrong After Reaching 600 Feet

Showing the CCTV footage, Rakesh Rai stated, “Looking at the takeoff roll, it appears to be a normal takeoff. No issues are visible as the aircraft climbs. The problem seems to have occurred only after it reached about 600 feet in altitude.”
Question: Why Was the Landing Gear Still Down?

According to Rai, “During takeoff, there’s a speed we call ‘VR’ (Velocity Rotation), which is when the pilot tries to lift the nose. At that point, the monitoring pilot calls out ‘Positive Rate’, indicating that the aircraft is climbing. Then the flying pilot says ‘Gear Up’. All of this usually happens by the time the aircraft reaches around 50 feet. But in this case, the landing gear remained down even at 600 feet, which raises questions.”

Possible Reasons:

1.Bird Strike Leading to Loss of Thrust

It’s possible that the aircraft struck a bird, which led to a loss of thrust, and amid the confusion, the pilot may have forgotten to retract the gear. In such a case, the aircraft wouldn’t be able to maintain lift and would gradually descend—exactly what appears to have happened, according to the footage.

2. Flaps Retracted Instead of Landing Gear

Another possibility is that the pilot monitoring may have mistakenly retracted the flaps instead of the landing gear. Rakesh Rai explained, “This is a human error theory. I’m not saying this is what definitely happened, but it’s a possibility. Retracting the flaps prematurely could result in sudden loss of thrust.”

What Can Anyone Do in 20–25 Seconds?” — Captain Rai

Captain Rai said, “At the time of takeoff, the plane was flying at a speed of 320 km/h. From the runway to the crash, only 59 seconds of footage is available. There might have been just 20 to 25 seconds left to respond to the emergency. In such situations, it takes at least 4–5 seconds just to comprehend what’s happening.”

All Checklists Were Completed Before Takeoff

He added, “In this aircraft, all checklists are electronic, not manual. If any step is missed, multiple alerts are triggered — alarms sound, warning lights flash. Even someone asleep would wake up with those alerts.”

265 People, Including 241 Passengers, Died in the Crash

It has been confirmed that 265 people, including 241 passengers, died in the crash. Only six bodies were identified and handed over to families, as those were the only ones still recognizable. The remaining bodies were sent to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination.