Ahmedabad plan crash: ‘Most likely this crash is due to a bird strike’

The fatal crash of a Londonbound Air India Boeing 7878 Dreamliner operating as Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick may have been caused by a bird strike that led to engine failure during the initial climb according to an aviation expertThe aircraft crashed within minutes of departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon Speaking exclusively to midday aviation expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan said the airport is already ldquonotorious for birdsrdquoldquoAnd to prevent bird strikes there should be no garbage dumping no slaughterhouses etc within a 13km radius of a runway But no municipality or the government enforces this because everything is politically controlled So it is most likely that this crash happened due to a bird strike because Ahmedabad is very notorious for birdsrdquo Ranganathan told middayCaptain Mohan Ranganathan aviation expertldquoThe flight was only 400 feet above the ground when it started to descend So the chances are high that its engine was struck by birds in the area causing it to stop functioning I suspect the bird strike as the sole reason behind this fatal crash that claimed multiple livesrdquo he saidldquoBird control around airports must be implemented strictly by the concerned authoritiesrdquo he added According to Indiarsquos National Aviation Safety Plan 2024ndash28 effective control of animalbird activity by the aerodrome operator is limited to 13 km from the Aerodrome Reference Point ARPldquoBird ingestion into aircraft engines can cause critical failures leading to a loss of thrust Given the low altitude and heavy takeoff weight due to a full fuel load the flight crew has limited options for recovery The aircraft can subsequently lose control resulting in a fatal crashrdquo Ranganathan saidTo maintain the aircraftrsquos centre of gravity fuel is often stored in the wings Speaking about the aircraftrsquos capacity Ranganathan said ldquoIt is an aircraft capable of flying nonstop between India and the USA This one must have been full of fuel due to diversions caused by disturbances in the Gulf and with Pakistanrsquos airspace closedrdquoA commercial pilot from Malaysia told midday ldquoBird strikes on aircraft can range from minor to catastrophic with the most concerning impact being engine damage which can lead to power loss or failure Strikes on other parts of the aircraft like windshields or control surfaces can also disrupt flight operations or cause control issues While most strikes are minor larger birds or flocks can cause significant damage requiring repairs delays or even emergency landingsrdquoldquoBird strike could be one of the suspected causes behind the failure of both engines Since the pilot declared a mayday call it indicates an abnormal situation in the cockpit The pilots likely didnrsquot have enough time to respond to ATC and were trying to gain altituderdquo said the pilotldquoWeight and balance significantly impact takeoff performance and aircraft stability An aircraft exceeding its maximum takeoff weight requires a longer runway and may have reduced climb rate and angle Incorrect weight distribution where the centre of gravity is outside specified limits can impair controllability and stability potentially leading to a stall or other control difficultiesrdquo he addedldquoThe eBird website lists several common birds near Ahmedabadrsquos Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport These include the rock pigeon Asian koel little swift redwattled lapwing and black kite The airport has implemented several bird control measures including insect control physical deterrents and acoustic deterrentsrdquo the pilot told middaySpeaking about aircraft crash survivability another pilot from the USA said ldquoThe Boeing 787 Dreamliner mdash a longrange widebody passenger jet mdash comes in various configurations including the 8 9 and 10 models The Air India 7878 can carry 248 passengers in a twoclass seating configuration The crash survivability rate immediately after takeoff is low because the jet is almost full of fuel for a longrange flightrdquoldquoA heavy aircraft is difficult to handle at low speeds Although it is highly capable and powerful enough to manage emergencies during takeoff the large amount of fuel onboard increases the risk of fire which can be fatal for everyone on boardrdquo he added