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India Today
3 days ago
- General
- India Today
A month on, we may finally know what crashed Air India jet this week
Dual engine failure, technical malfunction, error in the movement of fuel control switches, or something else? A month on since Air India flight AI 171 crashed in Ahmedabad, a preliminary report on what led to one of India's worst aviation disasters may be released either today or Saturday, sources is a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and, as per regulations, member states have to submit preliminary reports on accidents within 30 June 12, the London-bound Air India flight, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel building in Ahmedabad within seconds of take-off. The tragedy left 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew on board and 19 others on the ground, dead. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is probing the horrific crash along with experts from the US-based National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing, briefed a parliamentary standing committee earlier this panel was told that an analysis of the black box, which is key in providing an in-depth insight into what led to the crash, was being carried out at the AAIB's laboratory in ON WHAT LED TO THE CRASHSince the crash, several theories have floated about what led to the crash, which has garnered global of videos shows that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which had an impeccable history, could not maintain lift after take-off, and was unable to climb beyond 625 feet in aviation expert, former US Navy pilot Captain Steve Scheibner, told India Today that dual engine failure might be behind the crash. He said the deployment of the ram air turbine (RAT) shortly after takeoff pointed to a dual engine a simulation of the doomed aircraft's parameters in a flight simulator by Air India pilots identified technical malfunction as a possible cause, Bloomberg the final moments of the crash, the pilots had kept the landing gear deployed and the wing flaps retracted. However, it was found that these configurations alone would not have caused the report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing early assessments by US officials, flagged that the switches controlling the fuel flow to the aircraft's two engines were likely turned off. This, led to a noticeable loss of thrust shortly after US officials suggested that there were no issues with the Boeing 787 a flurry of theories, the preliminary report will give a clear picture on the reasons behind the crash. A full report is likely to take several weeks, if not months.- EndsTune InMust Watch
India.com
02-07-2025
- General
- India.com
Ahmedabad Air India Crash: Did Both Engines Fail? Pilot Simulation Uncovers Shocking Clues
As the government inquiry into the crash of Air India's AI 171 at Ahmedabad goes on, a report indicated that a simulation carried out by Air India pilots indicated an apparent technical failure as a primary cause. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed just minutes after departure on June 12, killing 241 of 242 individuals on board and 34 on the ground. Air India pilots recreated the parameters of the aircraft within a flight simulator to simulate potential scenarios, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources. Their results allegedly supported the technical failure hypothesis as a potential explanation. Air India spokespersons, though, refused to make any comment on the results, "These are speculations, and we will not be able to give any comments at this time." What The Simulation Found The simulation, carried out separate from the official investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), simulated different conditions. Deploying the landing gear and retracting wing flaps in the simulation did not, individually, result in a crash, but photos of wreckage of the actual aircraft revealed the flaps were still in the extended position, not retracted as had been initially suspected. Flaps are important for adding additional lift on takeoff and landing. A review of the crash footage by Air India pilots showed that the landing gear was slightly canted forward, which meant the retraction sequence had initiated. At the same time, the landing-gear doors had not opened yet. Pilots who conducted the analysis indicated this could be indicative of a loss of power or hydraulic failure, strongly suggesting malfunction with the engines. Questions Of Dual Engine Failure Joining the theory of technical malfunction, former US Navy pilot and aviation expert Captain Steve Scheibner has put forward dual engine failure as a possible cause for one of India's worst air tragedies in recent decades. Speaking in an interview with India Today, he pointed towards the activation of the ram air turbine (RAT) soon after takeoff as a sign of a dual engine failure. The RAT is a tiny turbine that is deployed from an airplane to provide power in a crisis, usually following a total failure of main electrical and hydraulic power. Black box data analysis (cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder) of the crashed Air India aircraft is in progress at the laboratory of the AAIB in Delhi. This vital information will be used to establish the exact sequence of events resulting in the accident as well as shed light on the reason why both engines could have lost power at the same time. The results of the official AAIB report are anxiously awaited to come up with a conclusive cause of the tragedy.
India Today
02-07-2025
- General
- India Today
What led to Air India crash? Pilots simulate accident, find key flaw, says report
While the reason behind the crash of the ill-fated AI 171 jet is yet to be ascertained, Air India pilots re-enacted the aircraft's parameters in a flight simulator and identified technical malfunction as a possible cause, Bloomberg reported, quoting part of the simulation, the pilots kept the landing gear deployed and the wing flaps retracted. However, it was found that these configurations alone would not have resulted in a India has declined to comment on the findings. "These are speculations, and we will not be able to give any comments at this time," an Air India spokesperson told India SIMULATION FOUND? Pictures of the wreckage of the doomed Boeing 787 Dreamliner showed that the flaps were in an extended position, and not retracted, as speculated. The flaps provide the extra lift required by an aircraft during the take-off and landing phases when its speed is London-bound aircraft crashed into a medical college campus within seconds of takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board, and another 34 individuals who were on the results, along with several expert analyses, have reinforced the technical failure angle as one possible cause of the ENGINE FAILURE?advertisementAn aviation expert, former US Navy pilot Captain Steve Scheibner, has suggested dual engine failure might be behind one of the worst aviation accidents in India in several an interview with India Today, he said the deployment of the ram air turbine (RAT) shortly after takeoff pointed to a dual engine failure. The simulation was conducted separately from the official investigation being carried out by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Sources told Bloomberg that it was done to explore possible analysis of the crash footage by Air India pilots found the landing gear was partially tilted forward, suggesting the retraction sequence of the wheels had been the same time, the landing-gear doors had not opened, which the pilots said indicated that the aircraft experienced a loss of power or a hydraulic failure - pointing to issues with the analysis of data from the black boxes of the doomed Air India aircraft is currently underway at the AAIB's laboratory in Delhi. It will help in reconstructing the sequence of events leading to the accident as well as give an idea why both engines simultaneously lost power.- EndsTune InMust Watch
New York Post
30-06-2025
- General
- New York Post
What happens if a plane's emergency exit door is opened midair? A pilot reveals the truth
Is it opening the door to disaster? Bum-rushing the emergency exit on a plane has seemingly become a go-to move among those looking to make trouble at 30,000 feet. Now, air experts are weighing in on what happens when mile-high hellions attempt to activate the doorway to heaven — and the outcome is not so good. Dan Bubb, Ph.D., a former airline pilot and current aviation safety expert, explained that opening the emergency exit — which he noted is for evacuations — on the ground will cause the door to open and an inflatable slide to deploy, Reader's Digest reported. Advertisement That is because the air pressure in both the cabin and outside is equal, thereby allowing passengers to disengage the locking mechanism. 3 American Airlines First Officer Steve Scheibner explained that to open the emergency door mid-flight, one would need to be able to lift 25,000 pounds Media_Works – While generally activated by a flight attendant during an emergency, the escape chute has notably been deployed by bozo passengers and crew members during non-emergencies as well. Advertisement In December, a flight in Spain had to be evacuated after a panicky male passenger released the emergency slide while the plane was idling on the runway in stifling heat. A month later, a bumbling British Airways crew member cost the airline $122,000 after accidentally deploying the safety ramp. And in perhaps the most infamous example in 2010, then-JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater announced he was quitting, grabbed two beers from the drinks cart, opened the door and disappeared down the slide. 3 If someone did manage to breach the hatch inflight, 'it would create a decompression situation where the oxygen masks would fall from the ceiling, and the pilot would have to put the plane in a dive to an altitude of 14,000 feet within four minutes,' Bubb explained. GDM photo and video – Advertisement But what happens when someone tries to pull the same trick in the sky? Absolutely nothing. That phenomenon is due to the high pressure differential between the inside and outside of the aircraft — which effectively seals the plug-style doors in place. 'The air pressure inside of the plane is much greater than the pressure outside of the plane,' explained Budd. 'This makes it exceedingly difficult to open the door.' Advertisement American Airlines First Officer Steve Scheibner explained that to open the emergency door midflight, one would need to be able to lift 25,000 pounds, Travel + Leisure magazine reported. 'Once this door gets pressurized in flight, it's nine pounds per square inch,' the flyboy — who goes by Captain Steeeve on TikTok — said. If someone did manage to breach the hatch inflight, 'it would create a decompression situation where the oxygen masks would fall from the ceiling, and the pilot would have to put the plane in a dive to an altitude of 14,000 feet within four minutes,' Bubb explained. Also preventing a midair evacuation is the door's locking mechanism, which engages on the runway when the airplane has attained a speed of 92 miles per hour, according to Scheibner. It's then virtually impossible to manually unlock the door until the aircraft slows down again. Coincidentally, the Federal Aviation Administration started requiring passenger aircraft to come equipped with this safety mechanism in 1972 in response to a spate of airplane hijackings in the 1960s and 1970s. 3 Those who attempt to open a hatch in-flight will be subject to arrest. luengo_ua – However, that safeguard hasn't stopped bozos from attempting to monkey with the airlock inflight. Advertisement Last month, an out-of-control passenger aboard a flight from Tokyo to Houston allegedly tried to open a cabin door midair, forcing panicked travelers to restrain him as the plane made an emergency landing. Despite the difficulty of budging the seemingly impregnable sky portal, at least one passenger appears to have succeeded. In 2023, an Asiana Airlines passenger opened an emergency door moments before the plane landed in Daegu, South Korea, sparking panic among the 194 flyers in the wind-swept cabin. Advertisement Thankfully, the plane was able to touch down safely, and no one was seriously injured, although a dozen were taken to the hospital and treated for hyperventilation. Geoffrey Thomas, an aviation expert with Airline Ratings, described the incident as 'very bizarre' because 'technically, it's not possible to open those doors in flight.' In most cases, attempting to open the escape hatch can result in a flight diversion and the arrest of the passenger responsible. Advertisement In 2024, a flight attendant broke their leg while attempting to restrain a passenger who attempted to open a door midflight. In light of the crewmember's injury, the man was charged with a federal crime, and, if convicted, could face 20 years in prison. At the very least, those attempting an unauthorized evacuation will likely earn themselves a nonstop trip onto a no-fly list.
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Pilot reveals what would really happen if the emergency exit door gets opened mid-flight
While the scenario of an emergency exit door being yanked open mid-flight is a major fear for nervous flyers, one pilot has revealed exactly what happens when it occurs. Emergency exits are strategically placed throughout the aircraft to enable quick and efficient evacuation for all passengers, regardless of their seating location. While it's rare, there have been instances in recent years of passengers - or even flight attendants - opening emergency doors on airplanes on the ground or in mid-air. But American Airlines First Officer, Steve Scheibner, long-haul pilot, Pascal Cooney, and former airline pilot and aviation expert, Dan Bubb, have revealed the truth about what happens once the 'forbidden' door handle is turned at 35,000 feet. According to Bubb, when an emergency exit door is opened while the plane is stationed on the group and unpressurised, it will result in the door opening and an inflatable slide deploying. This is what happened in the infamous JetBlue Steven Slater incident in 2010, where the flight attendant quit his job in style and used the emergency exit to activate the slide and depart the plane following a confrontation with a passenger. Plug-type emergency exits on aircraft are designed to fit snugly into the door frame, creating a seal that is strengthened by the pressure difference between the interior and exterior of the aircraft. These doors are equipped with hardware like vertical rod and rim exit devices to ensure they stay securely closed under pressure. But if the plane is on the ground and accelerates up to a speed of 80 knots - equivalent to roughly 92 miles per hour - a mechanism on the doors locks, meaning they cannot be opened. Once the plane is in the air, it's virtually impossible to open an emergency door mid-flight due to the cabin's pressurisation. The pressure inside the cabin is significantly higher than the pressure outside at cruising altitude, creating a force that keeps the doors securely sealed. This pressure differential makes it physically impossible for a human to overcome the force holding the door closed. As reported by Reader's Digest, Steve Scheibner explained, 'Once this door gets pressurised in flight, it's nine pounds per square inch.' Fellow long-haul pilot, Pascal Cooney, who goes by @pascalklr on YouTube, said in a clip: 'We pressurise our aircraft to a lower altitude so that you guys can breathe. The inside pressure pushes the door in its frame.' While it's physically near-impossible to open emergency doors in the air, there have been documented cases of passengers hijacking planes and even jumping out of exits mid-flight. In 1972, a man named D.B. Cooper hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305, demanding four parachutes and $200,000 (£146,070) in ransom. After the plane landed in Seattle, he released the passengers and crew, refueled, and then, while flying towards Mexico, he parachuted out of the plane with the ransom money. Cooper was never found nor seen of again. Many passengers have also attempted to open doors mid-flight and whilst on the runway. A manic passenger was wrestled into a seat after trying to open the emergency exit mid-flight and threatening to kill all onboard a All Nippon Airways plane in May. In April, a flight headed to Melbourne was forced to turn around after a woman tried to open the aircraft door at 30,000 ft as the plane flew over the Indian Ocean. Budget airline JetStar said in a statement that flight JQ-34 had to return to Denpasar airport in Bali after a 'disruptive passenger' attempted to force the plane door open mid-air. In most cases, opening an emergency door mid-flight would lead to arrest, with specific charges and potential prison sentences depending on various factors, such as whether anyone was harmed or damage had been caused to the aircraft. Steven Slater, for example, escaped a prison sentence of seven years after being charged with a string of offences - including reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. However, the former JetBlue flight attendant was made to pay his old airline employer $10,000 (£7,303) in restitution to make up for some of the cost of his spectacular exit. In April, AirAsia X passenger, Shadi Taiseer Alsaaydeh, was charged with two counts of endangering the safety of an aircraft, as well as one count of assaulting crew members, when he attempted to open the plane's emergency doors several times. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars. He was restrained by crew members and passengers with one worker allegedly assaulted in the process.
