An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Flight AI 171, tragically crashed into a residential area of Meghani Nagar shortly after departing Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday. The aircraft was bound for London (LGW) with 242 passengers, two pilots and ten crew members on board. Live flight tracker Flightradar provided crucial data regarding the ill-fated flight. According to their Tweets, the last signal from Flight AI 171 was received at 08:08:51 UTC (1:38 pm IST), mere seconds after takeoff. It said that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, registered as VT-ANB, departed using the full 11,499-foot length of Runway 23 at Ahmedabad, having backtracked to the runway’s end before commencing its takeoff roll.Read: Air India CEO Campbell Wilson reacts; says ‘it’s a difficult day for us’In layman’s words, this means that the pilot — who reportedly had 8200 hours of flying — took all precautionary measures that are mandatory before take-off. “We are continuing to process data from receiver sources individually. Additional processing confirms #AI171 departed using the full length of Runway 23 at Ahmedabad. RWY 23 is 11,499 feet long. The aircraft backtracked to the end of the runway before beginning its take off roll,” it said.
“Backtracking” refers to the plane taxiing to the far end of the runway, then turning around to use its full length for takeoff. This is a standard safety procedure, especially for large aircraft on long-haul flights—like this one to London—as it helps ensure they reach the necessary speed for a safe climb.
All that you need to know about Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Flight AI 171
The journey of Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Flight AI 171 ended within minutes of departure. During its brief ascent, Flight AI 171’s barometric altitude was recorded at 625 feet, with a vertical speed of 896 feet per minute and a ground speed of 174 knots. Flightradar’s speed and altitude graphs further illustrated the initial moments, showing the aircraft climbing to approximately 600 feet while its ground speed surpassed 150 knots.The pilot issued a “MAYDAY” call just minutes into its flight before losing contact and falling to the ground. Videos circulating online show thick black smoke billowing from the crash site, prompting an immediate and extensive emergency response involving fire tenders, ambulances and rescue teams.Also read: Flight crashed into doctors’ hostel, many feared dead; eyewitnesses say it was flying ‘very low’
