London-bound Air India plane crashes in Ahmedabad

My husband JUST got back from India (we're in London) this morning a few hours before this happened. Horrible. I feel for all the families of those on board.

The footage is horrifying.

RIP to all those aboard.

Omg, your husband was THIS close to certain death, r1. Don't let it go to his head, though – people like that sometimes become megalomaniacal, thinking they were spared for some larger purpose.

Anyway, this is awful. Now we wait for the crew manifest. William Dalrymple better not have been fucking on it, he flies back and forth all the time.

I hope no celebrities were affected.

53 Brits DEAD.

^^^Real Brits?

Another plane crash for Trump -mazel tov

Boeing rush order hurried along by musk rat.

Crashed into a hostel, per BBC just now.

Seven Portuguese and one Canadian, in addition to the Brits.

It says the injured are being taken to the hospital. I assume those are the people that were in or close to the hostel at the time.

Clip of the plane going down.

[quote]Another plane crash for Trump

Can we blame this on Trump? Obviously he's fucked up air travel in the US but India-to-England flights should be safe from him.

Oh thanks R12 I was so worried a out Trumps reputation

Fuck me? I'm just trying to clarify what he's capable of. I could be wrong, it's not even 7am yet.

You'll notice I did say he's fucked up air travel, but you think I'm trying to help his reputation?

Some of you need to relax. Have a Coke and a smile.

[quote] This Air India crash is the first time a Boeing 787 aircraft has come down like this.

[quote] The model was launched 14 years ago and just six few weeks ago the planemaker lauded the fact the model, also known as the Dreamliner, has reached the milestone of carrying 1bn passengers.

[quote] To mark that occasion the company said the global 787 fleet of more than 1,175 airplanes has flown nearly 5 million flights covering more than 30 million flight hours.

They really are the most cursed company imaginable. 14 years of no issue, they celebrate how safe it is and suddenly mass tragedy ensues.

Congrats Air Bus

Bring back fast ships

Crashed into a medical school hostel.

Terrible.

I never would have been on an Air India flight.

That fire screen behind Mary Schiavo is strange and distracting.

Buck would never have been on that flight.

Planes crash-thats how they're made safer. Those brave “Brits’” gave their lives so we can safely fly to next year’s family reunion.

Fuck you and your quotation marks R22

Another Boeing, eh? Qatar, if you're listening, I hope you know what you have to do, so do it!

“ “

Personally, I'd rather die in Islamabad than in Gatwick. It sounds much more exotic.

But they didn't die in either, did they, R26?

It's Ahmedabad, not Islamabad. Totally different country. The distance between the two is like the distance between London and Rome, or NYC and Chicago.

Confirmed no survivors, per AFP.

This is going to be felt all over the UK. We have long established Gujurati communities in many of our major cities. The footage is horrific.

DL has many Trump supporters. It’s wonderful.

That video seems to show that the flaps and slats were not extended for take off. Holy shit.

Yeah. Right about now they’re feeling pretty good over at Airbus.

I remember I was excited the first time I was able to fly a Dreamliner. I’m not saying this was the cause at all - but I was surprised how poorly it handled turbulence. It’s made of a lighter material and it’s much smaller than the 777 on the inside.

[quote] Bring back fast ships

Fast ship? You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon? It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs!

r7 Why J. Bruce Ismay is that you?

Planes climb up when they take off. This plane doesn’t look like it was climbing at all. It looked like it was going in for a landing.

There has been a report of at least one survivor.

40 year old guy injured says explosion 30 sec. in?

Rishi Sunak sends condolences. He's. still cute at 45 yrs.

[quote] Planes climb up when they take off. This plane doesn’t look like it was climbing at all. It looked like it was going in for a landing.

It was crashing.

How does one survive this, that's crazy.

That sure was a funny looking crash. Based on what they were showing on the news, it did look like it was coming in for a landing.

But maybe the angles and speed and altitude were all completely off. No idea. It looked like a hell of an explosion, though when it hit the ground.

[quote] video seems to show that the flaps and slats were not extended for take off

I've seen similar comments in other forums as well. If they were not as they should be, are there alarms/bells warning the pilots? Unless that system is malfunctioning.

That why I hate takeoffs.

[quote]According to media reports, the sole survivor of the crash was 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian, who lives in London and was in Ahmedabad visiting family. He said he had lived in London for the past 20 years and had travelled to India with his brother who was also on the plane. “Thirty seconds after take off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed.

Doesn't sound like a pilot error to me, but we'll see.

Weeeeeee’ll seeeeeeeee!

🎶 Ahmedabad, Do Doo, De Doo Doo.

Ahmedabad, Doo Doo De Doo

Ahmedabad, Do Doo De Doo Doo

Dee Do Do, De Doo Do 🎶

The worst part? Knowing it is happening ….

r38 It was presumably taking off when it crashed it only made it 625 feet before coming back down.

They were all going to die anyway

An aviation forum I follow is saying that the plane took almost the entire 11000 foot runway to get airborne and was traveling at too slow a speed, causing it to stall immediately after takeoff. There was either a major engine failure, possibly the flaps weren't extended, the plane was overloaded and too heavy, or there was pilot error. Regardless, they should have aborted and not attempted to lift off. "Bad fuel" was also mentioned as a possibility.

Prune.org usually has the best discussions.

Pprune.org

Thank you, come again!

Ahmedabad, Islamabad. Whatev.

Poor guys, R53. I hope their little Mitzi will be well cared for.

I got a news alert on my phone a few minutes ago reporting they did find one survivor.

R20, she's still alive? Hasn't she been a vegetable for the last 20 years?

This is so much like that 1979 Fight 191 at O'Hare. The fact that even one person survived this is a true MIRACLE.

Someone on reddit posted a short aftermath video and its just burnt bodies- horrific.

I keep seeing videos of a guy they say was the sole survivor - in seat 11A.

Oh no, R53, they're so cute.

[quote]This is so much like that 1979 Fight 191 at O'Hare. The fact that even one person survived this is a true MIRACLE.

Flight 191’s engine literally came off the plane. It was attributed to poor maintenance practices at American Airlines.

It’s only similar to this crash in that it happened immediately after takeoff.

Oops.

Wi Tu Slo

He sat in sear 11A. First seat in economy on a Dreamliner, at the leading edge of the wing, just before the fuels tanks. Forward momentum yanked him out, away from the fire and thus he survived. Everybody in the rear was fried upon impact.

That's where I always try to sit. At the beginning of the wing, Also much better in turbulence.

^ seat 11A

11A was supposedly right next to an exit door.

[quote] He sat in sear

Sear is what happened to the other passengers.

[quote] the plane was overloaded and too heavy

Was Chrissy Metz and her snack purse on board?

[quote]The couple ran The Wellness Foundry in south London and Ramsgate, Kent, which offers psychic readings, tarot, Reiki and yoga. It has collaborated with brands including Dior, Google, and Netflix.

Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek, "Fashion Designer turned Spiritual Advisor", was offering psychic readings and Edina Monsoon was totally his most obnoxious advisee...

"Fiongal, what should I wear tomorrow on the ski runs for my first day at Val d'Isere? I'm thinking camouflage ski suit. But at the same time I want people to see me."

"Fiongal, Fiongal, where are you? Why don't you take my call? My car was towed away to the car clamp club again and I don't know what to do... Should I call an Uber or a taxi? I get mixed vibes either way. Please call me back, darling! I'm at my wit's end and It's started to rain"

Then hanging up distressed and mouthing words that sound like shakra prayers: "Ting ting ding ling dind ting ling".

[quote]That's where I always try to sit.

Economy?? I’d rather die.

R74 Embarrassing.

Yes R42 we all know it crashed. My point being that from the very start there was some mechanical something preventing it from climbing.planes are usually much higher at that point - and it just glided to the ground and exploded. It seemed to be doomed from the very beginning.

I stand corrected, R71.

At least you stand, r78.

Takeoff should have been aborted. They were not moving fast enough to lift off. Pilot error.

Not sure there's any "best" seat when a plane falls from the sky. It's all about luck.

[quote] The Wellness Foundry

Huh the websites still up. Guess that answers the is he really psychic question.

Perhaps it was a double bird strike? There is apparently a large problem with birds around that airport. The lone survivor heard a huge bang 30 seconds after take-off (which probably rules out incorrect wing configuration as an issue). One expert thought that the way the plane descended indicated neither engine was working.

Alex Padilla being manhandled has upstaged 787 crash.

[quote]Perhaps it was a double bird strike?

The chances of birds striking both engines are slim. And it doesn’t explain why the plane took the entire runway to rotate and lift off. There were major problems on the takeoff roll that weren’t recognized by the pilots who should have aborted.

Air India is a relatively known airline and obviously flies every day without incident.

However, I always feel a bit of apprehension booking on certain airlines that aren't top tier in foreign countries. Makes me nervous - even though it probably shouldn't.

Doesn't mean this could have all been a 1 in a million accident, but I can't shake my bias that some airlines in other countries don't have the same safety and check protocols as the larger airlines.

[quote]Perhaps it was a double bird strike?

That happened to the USAirways flight at LaGuardia. Captain Sully was able to successfully land it in the river with no fatalities.

I'm going to amend my post at R83. It seems like incorrect wing configuration, either for the take-off or straight afterwards (mistakenly retracting the flaps instead of the wheels, as would be normal), may be a likely cause for the crash. The engines appear to be intact (no flame outs) and no flocks of birds are visible in the footage I've seen.

r80 why don't we let the NTSB and other investigative bodies do their due diligence. Unless, of course, you must be a aviation HOBBYIST who thinks they know everything.

Comments like yours really burn my ass. You have 0 qualifications (of this I'm sure), but to just say "pilot error." Get over yourself.

I was on a flight out of England 20+ years ago and a bird got sucked into an engine on takeoff. The engine went out but luckily we weren't far out and they made an emergency landing. It was terrifying. After we landed, I made a bee line to the closest bar. 🍸

Jesus Christ just learning/realizing that it hit a building as well-

A medical building…

[quote] After we landed, I made a bee line to the closest bar. 🍸

My beeline would have been to the nearest toilet.

Good god R92- I will look more into this later- I have seen the photos of friends prior to boarding, and Indian family with 3 little kids all on the plane prior to take off- This life and world is just a straight up -BITCH-.

Was surprised to hear Air India owns 36 Dreamliners. Many airlines own more but 36 is a lot and since 2014 no problems???

[quote]mistakenly retracting the flaps instead of the wheels, as would be normal), may be a likely cause for the crash

I’ve seen that possibility mentioned several times…that the pilots mistakenly retracted the flaps instead of retracting the landing gear, which should have been done immediately after takeoff. The landing gear is clearly still down in the crash videos.

The lone survivor said a loud bang went off 30 sec into take off?

Boeing recently celebrated 1 billion passengers flying Dreamliner. Just one of those things.

R2.

I think the ‘’bang’’ whatever it was severed hydraulics -No lifting landing gear-no engines-no flaps.

If only Air India had access to some of the aviation experts on this thread the crash could have been avoided.

The plane wouldn't have crashed if I had been aboard

Family sent selfie shortly before fatal crash

R19 = Buck

These videos and pictures recorded minutes before people die are creepy. Another reason not to be on social media.

The survivor walked from the crash. WTF!!

Not feeling this episode of Lost

Wow, I would think a lone survivor amongst hundreds is a rarity isn't it? And it seems with minor injuries only. Nothing short of a miracle.

Oh he’s a very Lucky man. I just ordered a pint of his blood.

Didn't read the whole thread but have been following this all day. The 787 is almost indestructible and I've been on that plane many times. Something got in the way of them gaining enough thrust to take off, birds, tech issues. A passenger was tweeting just before take off that many of the systems, video, lights, etc. were not working. This was not a bomb or terrorists. I love that plane, it's huge and you don't even feel the take off or landing.

I'm afraid the passengers didn't even know what happened to them as the plane just took off. They would not even been aware. So awful.

The passengers had 5 - 10 seconds of sheer terror. And absolutely awful way to go.

Yes- basically the moment where they realized that something was "off"- the plane clearly gained very little speed/altitude and then slowly dropped-- there were likely 10 seconds of confusion and panic.

Almost 300 people gone.

Life is a giant mystery.

They didn't even have a chance to process what was about to happen. On the 787 it's really hard to feel the take off or even if there is some anomaly. For those who haven't been on one, it's gigantic. The seats have shoulder straps. I really torn up about the passengers.

[quote] Wi Tu Slo

Yup - Ho Lee Fuk

Usually on the 787 I'm more concerned about when we get to 10,000 feet and drinks and meals can be served. I really want to know what happened here. This plane flies itself.

You couldn't pay me to go to India. Maybe death in a plane crash is better than having to be there

Yes R115 the jokes about funny foreign names are a DL classic for a particular type of stupid poster who doesn’t, for instance, realise that India, China and South Korea are separate countries, and couldn’t identify any of these on a map. But they’re all Asian, right?

Then there’s the whole 290+ death toll. Too funny!

Why are some Americans so proud of their ignorance?

R117 India is the world’s largest democracy, so there’s that, as opposed to your country - hardly a shining beacon of democracy right now, is it?

Besides, you don’t have a passport, so I doubt that you’ll need to decide not to visit any other country any time soon.

Enjoy life in your square state.

R119. India is a shithole and I'm not from Arkansas. Both things can be true.

When were you last in India, R120?

That is so sad.

Also what the fuck is up with Boeing? Can we get high engineering regulations, standards, EVERYTHING! TOO MANY GODDAMN PLANES ARE CRASHING OUT OF THE SKY!

REGULATE MUTHAFUCKA!

Imagine a fucking pigeon could bring a whole plane down. There needs to be anti-birdstrike tech. One muthafucking pigeon.

R38 “Planes climb up when they take off”.

Such insight.

[quote] If only Air India had access to some of the aviation experts on this thread the crash could have been avoided.

Air India middle manager

That lone survivor ought to be saying Hail Vishnus until Madonna has a hit movie.

No, R127 - you are mistaken. I’m not sure where you got your “sounds like a Muslim area of India” nonsense from so I’m assuming that you’re American and are naturally just ill-informed, but Ahmedabad is largely Hindu.

Hinduism and Islam are two different religions. This may come as a surprise to you.

Is it any wonder that the rest of the world laughs at you Americans for your stupidity?

I would pay great money to see white American cunts like R117 in India!!

The plane was 12 years old. At that point, any manufacturing or design errors are likely not a cause. I suspect that, if there was something wrong with the plane, it was because of poor maintenance. From flight logs, it looks like it was in and out of service for possible maintenance issues. NTSB will be part of the investigation team because a Boeing was involved and a preliminary report may be out in a month or so. Some people hear the RAT (Ram Air Turbine) sound, which would indicate both engines failed. It is possible that there was fuel contamination. But, there is nothing right now to indicate pilot error. If both engines failed for some reason, then the only thing a pilot could do is maintain best glide, which is exactly what it looks like they were doing. You can see in the video where the lift stops and the glide starts. Early conjecture that they took off from an intersection or that the flaps/slats were not positioned has been discounted. So, I will wait for the preliminary report and send up a good karmic thought for the pilots. If it sucks to be a pax on a doomed flight, it has to be exponentially worse to be trying to fly the plane.

Rememtwhen someone said is was all the h1b visas making Boeing terrible? They haven't hired very many so that's not the case

Rememtwhen someone said is was all the h1b visas making Boeing terrible? They haven't hired very many so that's not the case

One black box has been found.

R132, I've never heard anyone claim that, perhaps it's just one whacko that you came across online. But the plane that crashed was made 14 years ago so the visa data you cite is irrelevant.

A more serious criticism is that of outsourcing supply chains in an effort to cut costs.

To illustrate r134.

[quote]Boeing’s foray into extensive outsourcing introduced a level of complexity that would test the resilience and adaptability of its supply chain. With over 50 suppliers from around the globe contributing to the 787 Dreamliner, coordination and quality control became Herculean tasks.

I’m going to try to fly mainly or Airbus planes. Safety is more important than nationalism.

Good idea R136! You might want to avoid airlines from the USA as well - their track record lately has been a tad spotty.

[quote]I’m going to try to fly mainly or Airbus planes. Safety is more important than nationalism.

Good call.

Any links to Airbus flights that have resulted in fatalities or serious injuries in recent years, r138?

r130 thank you for your intelligent and coherent post. There are many factors at play, and until the NTSB and local investigative agencies start their inquiries, everything else is conjecture, mostly by armchair aviation "experts".

I feel so bad for that gay couple..... I'm glad they had a great time on their trip.

I feel awful for them, r141. Those last horrible moments.

Saw a video a couple hours ago, A passenger on a previous flight of that plane filmed a clip showing the lights were out, no air con, and the in flight movie system wasn’t working for him (looked like it worked for the person sitting in front of him). Sorry, no link I was randomly clicking on YouTube.

R138, coincidentally, I was reading an article about the Airbus A220 earlier today. It's actually a plane developed by Bombardier, not Airbus. It's the only Airbus commercial aircraft program managed outside of Europe. They're assembled in Quebec and Alabama. Being another North American plane, maybe it should be avoided too.

Interview with the lone survivor:

[quote]the in flight movie system wasn’t working

Oh, the humanity!

R115 here I did not mean any disrespect to anyone that may have been killed on that flight or their relations. I fell very deeply for everyone., they did not deserve any of this. They just bought a ticket on a plane and expected to arrive safely. All i meant was I'm an aviation nerd and understand how planes work. No disrespect ever intended.

R147, don't sweat it.

And do you know what awful little website you're posting at exactly? This is par for the course.

Thank you R148

I watched the gay couple on Instagram in their last video at the airport. They were very funny and very much -alive-... Its becoming more and more apparent to me how much of "us" really is our eternal spirit. (Like what I saw of them in their video) I think the body and ego are very cunning. They were very charming and funny. I hope that they are truly somewhere wonderful that makes this place look like the hellscape it actually is. RIP fellas-

R147- Gallows humor is a real thing and the more fucked up the better. Life is viciously cruel, and you really can laugh at it.

R134 oh our own president, for one! Blamed diversity, dei, women, basically anyone not a white male for the problems in aviation.

Yes, R136 - it’s always “foreign” anything that is otherwise to be avoided. You do realise, don’t you, that in every country on the planet other than the USA, that you are foreign, don’t you?

Of course you don’t.

It's pretty noticeable that almost all, if not all, the fatal aircraft accidents of recent years have involved Boeings and the problems within Boeing as a company are also widely acknowledged.

At least Boeings aren’t built in China like some Airbus now are.

I don't know if anyone posted this video of Captain Steve. He believes when one pilot told the other to retract the landing gear, he actually retracted the flaps. The combination of the loss of lift from the retracted flaps and the huge drag of the landing gear doomed the plane. He's ephematic that this is just one possibility out of several, but he explains why other theories (loss of power, contaminated fuel, bird strike) do not appear to have been the case.

Most of the Boeing crashes were due to pilot error, which will ultimately turn out to be the case here too.

Captain Steve points out that the Boeing 787 has a stellar safety record.

I’ve heard that Airbus planes have more built-in “nanny” systems that can override a pilot mistake.

I like Captain Steve but I think he jumped the gun here. The RAT was definitely out, which indicates a sudden power loss due to dual engine shutdown. Software glitch (horrible) or (in)intentional shutdown (ditto), we will soon know.

From Boeing's perspective, the pilot's inability to monitor and manage an unmanageable amount of information being spewed at the pilot, to understand that the information being spewed means "execute the 21 items from Checklist 817.02.1931(b)", and to complete that in 5 seconds = "pilot error" which = "MCAS".

RAT? R159

Ripped

And

Torn

[quote] Ripped And Torn

I loved him on The Larry Sanders Show!

R159, nevermind. Ram Air Turbine deployed automatically if there is a power loss.