Air India AI171 Crash: “Thrust Not Achieved… Mayday”—Pilot’s Last Words

Introduction

Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on 12 June 2025. In the seconds before impact, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s chilling transmission—“Thrust not achieved… falling… Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”—marked the end of a horrific event that claimed 241 lives onboard and scores on the ground. This article reconstructs those final moments, explores possible causes, highlights survivor and expert testimony, and examines broader aviation safety implications.

Air India Flight AI171, which crashed on June 12, 2025, was operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and was crewed by 12 staff members: two pilots and ten cabin crew456.

Pilot Details:

Captain: Sumeet Sabharwal

First Officer: Clive Kundar

Cabin Crew:

Number: 10 flight attendants45

Names: Specific names of the cabin crew have not been widely published in major news outlets as of the latest updates, but tributes and memorial posts have acknowledged all 12 crew members as having lost their lives in the crash56.

There were no survivors among the crew; all were killed in the accident45. The passenger manifest included 230 passengers, 2 pilots, and 10 crew, making a total of 242 people onboard.

2. Timeline of the Tragedy

13:38 IST: Flight AI171 departs from Runway 23, Ahmedabad Airport.

Seconds after lift-off: The aircraft reaches ~625 ft and struggles to climb en.wikipedia.org.

Co-pilot’s mayday: ATC receives the urgent transmission “Thrust not achieved… falling… Mayday!”.

Aircraft descent: Rapid descent ensues – about –475 ft/min.

Impact: 30 seconds post‑takeoff, the plane crashes into a hostel at B. J. Medical College, igniting explosions and fires.

Casualties: 241 passengers and crew killed; at least 38 ground fatalities and 60 injuries.

3. Significance of the Mayday Call

“Thrust not achieved… falling… Mayday!” reflects a critical emergency: failure to generate sufficient engine thrust.

“Thrust not achieved” indicates engine failure or underperformance.

The repetition of “Mayday” signals a life-threatening situation requiring immediate assistance.

This last communication frames the investigation’s focus on engine power loss rather than flap misconfiguration or pilot error.

4. Engine & Thrust Issues

4.1 General Electric GEnx Engines
Fitted with advanced technology, but still vulnerable to anomalies.

4.2 Runway Roll Data
Flight used nearly the full 3,500 m runway—unusual for a heavily loaded 787 news.com.au+15thetimes.co.uk+15indiatoday.in+15.

4.3 Evidence of Engine Failure

The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deploys only when both engines and electrical systems fail.

Survivor testimony: cabin lights flickered; a "bang" heard, possibly the engine flame‑out or RAT deployment.

4.4 Bird Strike Ruled Out
Indian authorities have ruled out bird ingestion as the cause .

Investigators are exploring:

Fuel contamination

Faulty electronic engine controls

Mechanical malfunctions in the thrust system

5. Landing Gear Drag Hypothesis

Captain Rakesh Rai, who previously flew the same aircraft, suggests the undercarriage was not retracted, creating drag and hindering climb performance thetimes.co.uk
Australia‑based pilot commentary echoes similar observations: “excessive drag prevented climb” .
Investigators are cross-referencing flight data to confirm landing gear status.

6. Weather & Runway Conditions

On 12 June, Ahmedabad’s midday temperatures were in the high 30s (°C), producing hot and heavy conditions that reduce lift .
Yet even with high temperatures, a Dreamliner should climb reliably—suggesting additional factors played a role, such as engine or mechanical failures.

7. Recovery of Flight Recorders

The black box (FDR & CVR) was located within 28 hours near the tail.

The CVR, which records cockpit audio, was successfully retrieved on 16 June.

Decoding is underway; a preliminary report may surface in ~3 months, with full findings later this year.

8. Comparison With Similar Incidents

TransAsia Flight 235 (2015): twin-engine failure due to autofeather misdiagnosis, plunging into a river after a “Mayday, engine flameout” call .
Though not directly related, it illustrates how simultaneous thrust issues can be fatal, even with newer aircraft designs.

9. Expert Analysis & Investigative Focus

Engine power loss is now the leading theory thetimes.co.uk

Landing gear drag is being probed as a secondary factor thedailybeast.com.

Human error is under investigation—but no cockpit warnings were flagged .

Authorities involved: DGCA (India), NTSB (USA), AAIB (UK), Boeing, GE Aerospace—all working collaboratively.

10. Victims & Aftermath

Of 242 on board: 241 fatalities, 1 survivor (Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seat 11A) thenewsminute.com

Ground casualties: at least 38 deaths and 60 injuries, including medical students in the destroyed hostel wsj.com

Tata‑Air India pledged ₹1 crore (~US$116 K) compensation per victim; Boeing and GE offered investigative support wsj.com.

11. Initial Policy and Safety Repercussions

Following the crash:

DGCA ordered enhanced inspections across all Air India 787s—checking fuel systems, engine controls, hydraulics en.wikipedia.org+5en.wikipedia.org+5thetimes.co.uk+5.

Emphasis on stricter emergency procedure training, especially handling dual-engine failures and RAT deployment.

Discussions about ensuring aircraft systems provide clearer, more rapid warnings in “thrust not achieved” scenarios.

12. Psychological & Organizational Effects

Crew and aviation community shaken by a rare dual-engine power loss incident.

Pilot unions and safety boards are demanding reforms in:

Pre-flight checks

Engine control system audits

Response simulations in take-off emergencies

13. Public & Media Response

Media narrative centers on the urgency of finding the root cause and avoiding speculation.
Survivor Ramesh expressed the terrifying reality: lights flickering, a bang, and a crash – “a miracle I walked out” thetimes.co.uk
Public sentiment mixes grief with growing concern over aircraft safety protocols—especially for state-run airlines.

14. Understanding “Mayday” in Context

Mayday, derived from French “m’aider” (“help me”), is an internationally recognized distress signal.

In this case, the timing and tone of the call underscore both the pilot’s distress and immediate system incapacitation, not just cautionary alert.

15. What’s Next in the Investigation

Key lines of inquiry:

FDR/CVR data: engine performance, control inputs, system errors.

Engine teardown analysis: inspecting component integrity and electronic control logs.

Fuel quality audits: ruling out contamination or distribution faults.

Operational review: examining pilot procedures and training readiness.

The DGCA expects a preliminary report within three months, with final findings to follow in late 2025.

16. Reassessing Boeing 787 Safety

First fatal Dreamliner crash—since its service start in 2011—this incident will likely prompt deeper regulatory review.
While no prior engine design issues have surfaced, this incident places a spotlight on:

Thrust system redundancy

Real-time performance alerts

Enhanced pre-flight diagnostics

17. Conclusion

The tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 brings urgent attention to twin-engine performance reliability during critical flight phases.
Pilot's final transmission—“Thrust not achieved… Mayday!”—is a stark reminder that even modern aircraft can fail abruptly. Investigators must determine whether this was a dual-engine failure, landing gear malfunction, or combination thereof.
The lessons drawn will be vital: strengthening engine monitoring, enhancing dispatcher and crew protocols, and bolstering crisis readiness.

18. Call to Action for Aviation Stakeholders

Regulators: Act swiftly on inspection findings—particularly for 787 fleets globally.

Aircraft manufacturers: Accelerate R&D on thrust assurance and electronic control robustness.

Airlines: Intensify training modules focused on take‑off emergencies and “thrust not achieved” scenarios.

Public/Press: Advocate transparency in investigative processes—ensuring system-wide accountability.

19. Reflecting on the Human Side

This is, above all, a human tragedy. Behind cockpit transmissions and technical data are families displaced, communities shattered, and very real human suffering.
As investigations unfold, honoring the memories of those lost—and ensuring future safety—must remain our collective priority.

🧾 Sources & Further Reading

Detailed accounts and technical breakdowns continue to emerge. For further context and official updates, consult:

The News Minute

Times of India, Economic Times, The Guardian, Reuters, WSJ, BBC, The News Minute

Wikipedia on Flight 171 for comprehensive incident data .

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