In the aftermath of the Air India crash in Gujarat on Thursday, aviation experts are raising pressing questions about what went wrong just after takeoff.
According to initial visuals, the plane went down mid-air without any sign of explosion, suggesting a mechanical failure rather than an external impact. Former pilot Ehsan Khalid said that the cause could be engine-related, but noted it’s extremely rare for both engines to fail simultaneously, especially due to a bird strike in such a short window.
He also emphasized the importance of retrieving the Flight Data Recorder, Cockpit Voice Recorder, and ACARS data to uncover the exact cause. “The mayday call from the pilot shows they were aware of a serious issue and trying to handle it mid-flight,” Khalid explained.
#WATCH | Air India Plane Crash | Noida, UP: Former Pilot Ehsan Khalid says, “… The Flight Data Recorder, Cockpit Voice Recorder and the ACARS data will tell exactly what may have happened. The visuals show that the aircraft went down while flying. Which means there was no… pic.twitter.com/EZV6hhB4xf
— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2025
A major point of concern is that the aircraft’s landing gear was still down at 600 feet altitude. Typically, the landing gear is retracted shortly after takeoff. “This could mean the pilots detected engine trouble early and decided not to retract it, but it’s highly unusual,” Khalid added.
Echoing this, US aerospace safety consultant Anthony Brickhouse found the gear’s position troubling, saying it looked more like a landing than a takeoff scenario.
As the investigation continues, experts stress avoiding premature conclusions. However, the landing gear and suspected engine failure remain central to understanding what caused the crash.
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