JCM 7/1/2025 7:47:09 AM

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I commented about the oddities with the Air India Crash investigation a couple of days ago.

This report strengthens my suspicions.

Air India ‘sabotage’ theory investigated by Indian authorities after plane crash killed 270

Investigators have begun analysing the Boeing 787’s black boxes but say it will be months before they release their findings

They can release the data readouts for others to examine anytime, a delay is interesting.

Also floating the sabotage theory, which I admit is completely possible, but officially is a tell in my book. Sabotage would let India off the hook for contaminated fuel, the most likely cause IMAO, or maintenance issue.

"Face" is a big deal. The Indian Flag airline would lose an incredible amount of face if it fuel or maintenance were the cause. Face can be more important that truth.

JCM 7/1/2025 7:52:27 AM

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Pilots suspended after another Air India flight struggles during takeoff hours after Ahmedabad crash

On 12 June, just 38 hours after the deadly Air India flight 171 crashed in Ahmedabad, killing over 260 people, another flight from the same airline from Delhi to Vienna faced a serious safety scare.

During takeoff, the Boeing 777 flight AI187 reportedly lost about 900ft in altitude and triggered multiple warnings, including a “stall alert” and “don’t sink” Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS), a report in The Times of India claimed.

Both the “stall” and “don’t sink” warnings signal a dangerous loss of lift and altitude shortly after takeoff – requiring immediate corrective action to avoid a crash.

Although the pilots managed to stabilise the aircraft and complete the flight to Vienna, both have reportedly since been suspended from flying duties pending an investigation by India’s aviation regulator.

This strengthens the argument for fuel contamination, that is something both these aircraft would have in common. Maintenance is still a possibility but it would indicate a systemic maintenance culture problem. The fuel could have been sabotaged, if two planes were tampered with chances are it is internal to the company.

Kosh's Shadow 7/1/2025 8:40:21 AM

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Reply to JCM in 2:
If it was fuel contamination, I'd expect they would have had enough problems to return instead of completing the flight.

I know one pilot had suggested the crashed flight retracted flaps instead of landing gear. I believe the levers are different enough that should not occur. Landing gear levers at least years ago had a wheel on the end to make it easy to recognize.

I also note the aircraft were different - 787 crashed; 777 did not. Different engines (but possibly similar); similar controls.

JCM 7/1/2025 9:10:50 AM

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Reply to Kosh's Shadow in 3:

The 787 gear tilts when the gear retraction is activated, I believe the video indicates the gear up was not selected. Normal take off in a 787 flaps are 5 degrees. The wing design of the 787 makes this hard to see with the quality of available video. Given the altitude and temperature at the time there are question whether 10 degrees should have been selected. The data records and physical evidence will show flap settings.

Kosh's Shadow 7/1/2025 10:50:54 AM

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In #4 JCM said: I believe the video indicates the gear up was not selected.

That is what the former Qantas pilot noted, and said with the density altitude at that airport at the time, there isn't a lot of lift. The wheels should be retracted as soon as possible to reduce drag. Now, if the engines were already showing problems, that could explain leaving the wheels down

JCM 7/1/2025 11:15:39 AM

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Reply to Kosh's Shadow in 5:

That and shit hit fan so fast, rotate, liftoff... then they confirm positive climb right... then gear up call.

This will have to come from the recorder, they rotated, lost power... they are looking at the engine roll back... by the time they get to the climb right call out they don't have a climb right. By this time the audio warnings for climb rate, terrain are going off.... crew hits task saturation. They don't have any attitude and no time.