The final moments of Air India Flight 171: A timeline
The Air India Flight AI-171 crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College-housing doctors and medical staff on Thursday.
An Air India flight bound for London crashed just seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing hundreds and sparking a massive blaze in a hospital complex. Based on Flightradar data, accounts of eyewitnesses and videos posted by onlookers, HT has pieced together how Air India Flight AI-171 crashed just 33 seconds after take-off.
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1.30pm: Flight Al-171 pushes back from the loading bay at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport
1.31pm: The aircraft begins moving toward the active runway
1.34pm: Cleared by Ahmedabad Air Traffic Services, the aircraft lines up on Runway 28 to initiate its take-off sequence
1:38.24pm: After completing final pre-flight checks, the Dreamliner starts taxiing
1:38.40pm: Plane takes off. Seconds later, the pilot issues a 'Mayday' distress call, signalling a full emergency.
1.38.55pm: The aircraft reached an altitude of 625 feet and attained a top speed of 174 knots before beginning to rapidly descend, data from Flightradar24 shows
1.39.13pm: The aircraft enters a shallow descent with its nose pitched upward. Eyewitness videos capture the jet flying low with landing gear extended - a clear sign of emergency manoeuvres. Moments later, the plane vanishes out of sight in the video before erupting into a massive fireball on impact. The aircraft crashes into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College-housing doctors and medical staff.
Also read: Air India plane crash in 33 seconds, 260 dead, 1 miracle survival | What we know so far
Key questions facing Air India crash investigators
As investigators begin examining the crash, aviation experts believe they will pursue multiple lines of inquiry utilising data from the black boxes, equipment, crew performance, ground operations and the jet's maintenance.
- Did the plane lose power, if so, why?
- Was this a dual engine failure or severe thrust loss on both engines?
- Could the problem have originated in contaminated fuel?
- Was there foreign object debris - such as a bird hit- during takeoff?
- Was there an issue with the electrical systems?
- Why were flaps, which (generate lift, retracted, but landing gear extend- ed in its final moments?
- How was the recent maintenance record?
- Were take-off fuel and weight param- eters in range?
