Air India Training Pilots Recreate Likely Scenarios of June 12 Crash, Uncovering Critical Insights into the Catastrophic Failure

A week after the tragic AI-171 crash on June 12, which claimed the lives of 260 passengers and crew, a team of three Air India training pilots took to the simulator in an effort to reconstruct the events that led to the catastrophic accident. The pilots, all experienced in flying the airline’s Boeing 787 fleet, worked together in Mumbai to recreate the likely electrical failure scenarios that could have resulted in the dual-engine flame-out and the loss of climb performance immediately after takeoff.

The findings from this simulation have raised some disturbing questions about the reliability of the aircraft’s engine systems and the pilot’s ability to recover from a critical malfunction. This simulation is a significant step in the investigation and could provide much-needed answers as to whether the crash was a result of mechanical failure, pilot error, or a combination of both.

THE SIMULATOR EXERCISE: RECREATING THE FINAL MOMENTS

The three training pilots involved in the simulation used advanced flight simulators to replicate the conditions faced by the AI-171 flight crew just moments before the crash. The exercise focused on simulating an electrical failure that led to the shutdown of both engines—a scenario that could result in a dual-engine flame-out.

The pilots first set up the simulation to mirror the Boeing 787 aircraft’s configuration during takeoff. They then introduced simulated electrical failures, which caused the engines to cut off in mid-flight. This action triggered a loss of climb capability, preventing the plane from gaining the necessary altitude after takeoff. The pilots then attempted to simulate recovery procedures and determine if the aircraft could have been saved.

“We wanted to see if it was possible for the aircraft to regain control after the dual-engine flame-out,” said Captain Raghav Verma, one of the training pilots. “The goal was to understand the critical failure points and how quickly we could recover, given the situation we were facing.”

WHAT THEY FOUND: CRITICAL INSIGHTS

The simulation results raised serious concerns about the aircraft’s performance under extreme conditions. According to the pilots, recreating the dual-engine flame-out scenario resulted in the plane struggling to regain altitude. Despite following standard recovery procedures, the aircraft was unable to climb effectively and began to lose altitude rapidly.

“It was a struggle,” said Captain Verma. “Even with the engines off, we tried to simulate the recovery, but the aircraft was sluggish and didn’t respond as expected. The lack of climb capability was evident.”

The pilots noted that despite attempts to restart the engines through manual overrides, the Boeing 787 was not able to recover altitude in a timely manner, which would have led to catastrophic consequences if such a failure occurred during real-world operations.

POTENTIAL MECHANICAL FAILURE: THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION

While the focus of the simulation was on pilot response to the failure, the findings also brought attention to potential mechanical issues with the engine system itself. The pilots suggested that the electrical failure causing both engines to flame-out so quickly was highly unusual, raising suspicions of either a systemic issue with the aircraft’s electrical system or a malfunction in the engine control system.

“The failure of both engines so soon after takeoff is an extremely rare event,” said Captain Anil Sharma, one of the other pilots in the simulator. “In a real-world scenario, we’d expect to see engine failures only after multiple failure modes occur. This suggests there may be an underlying issue that was not addressed during routine maintenance.”

The pilots agreed that the Boeing 787 should have been able to recover from a single-engine failure and that the second engine failure compounded the issue, creating a situation that would have been difficult to recover from, even for an experienced flight crew.

INVESTIGATION INTO AIR INDIA AI-171 CRASH

The findings from the simulator exercise are significant, but they are only a part of the ongoing investigation into the AI-171 crash. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been working tirelessly to gather more data, including the black box information, to uncover the precise cause of the accident.

The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) have already provided valuable insights, with both recording moments of confusion and distress in the cockpit before the crash. Investigators are now working to correlate the simulation data with the information from the black boxes to understand the full scope of the failure and whether the aircraft’s systems performed as expected.

“We’re still in the early stages of piecing together what happened,” said Ravi Sood, an aviation analyst. “The data from the simulator and the black box will be critical in determining whether the crash was caused by mechanical failure, human error, or a combination of both.”

PILOT ERROR VS. MECHANICAL FAILURE

While pilot error has been a factor in some recent aviation incidents, the AI-171 crash has brought renewed attention to aircraft maintenance and the mechanical systems that control the engines. Investigators are now exploring whether the aircraft’s electrical system malfunction could have contributed to the dual-engine flame-out.

“If there’s a mechanical failure in the engines or electrical system, it may explain why the pilots were unable to recover,” said Captain Sharma. “However, we still need to examine all the factors before we draw conclusions.”

CONCLUSION: A COMPLEX CASE WITH NO EASY ANSWERS

The simulation has provided important insights into the AI-171 crash but has also raised more questions about the role of mechanical failures and pilot response. With multiple factors still under investigation, it remains unclear whether the crash was primarily caused by pilot error, a mechanical flaw, or a combination of both.

As the investigation continues, Air India and aviation authorities are expected to work together to improve flight safety protocols and ensure that such a catastrophic failure does not occur again.

“The tragedy of AI-171 is a reminder that we must constantly improve safety measures and ensure that every failure mode is understood and addressed,” concluded Captain Verma. “Our focus must always be on safety and preventing such events in the future.”

📰 More Inside Today’s Edition:

THE SIMULATOR FINDINGS: What aviation professionals learned from recreating the AI-171 crash
ENGINE FAILURE IN THE AIR: A deep dive into dual-engine flame-out recovery techniques
THE FUTURE OF AVIATION SAFETY: How technology and training are evolving to prevent future disasters

📸 EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS FROM THE SIMULATOR EXERCISE — PAGE A7

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