Shortly after becoming airborne, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner lost altitude abruptly and came crashing down into the residential quarters surrounding BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area. Initial reports confirmed that numerous people on the ground were also killed as the plane sliced through hostels and canteens in the college complex. The explosion that followed sent shockwaves through the city, with emergency services rushing to pull survivors and victims from the flaming wreckage.
Social media was quickly flooded with dramatic footage capturing the tragic final moments of the aircraft. Videos showed the plane flying unusually low, banking slightly, and trailing smoke before vanishing behind buildings, followed by a massive fireball that lit up the afternoon sky. The thick, black plume of smoke was visible for kilometers, while debris rained down on the surrounding area. Observers noted that the aircraft’s tail appeared to dip beneath its nose—a sign consistent with loss of thrust or lift—before the final impact. Several videos suggest the plane was in the air for less than half a minute. Flight tracking data corroborated that the last signal from the plane was recorded at an altitude of just 625 feet, after which it plummeted at a vertical descent rate of around 475 feet per minute.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who miraculously lived through the crash, gave a brief and emotional account of the incident. According to his statement, the plane had only just lifted off when he heard a loud, abnormal noise. Seconds later, everything turned chaotic. There was no time to react. His next memory was waking up amid rubble, severely injured, and surrounded by devastation.
As rescue teams continue their work at the site and the country grieves, attention has turned toward understanding how such a disaster could occur with one of the most technologically advanced aircraft in the skies. The Indian government has tasked the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) with conducting a thorough investigation. Due to the international nature of the flight and the aircraft model involved, investigators from the United Kingdom and the United States are expected to join the probe. The focus will center on the aircraft’s black boxes—the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. These components are vital to uncovering what went wrong in the final seconds of the flight, as they contain key technical data about aircraft performance and pilot communication.
Experts in the field of aviation have begun to weigh in on possible causes, though definitive conclusions remain premature. One widely discussed scenario involves a double engine failure, which, while rare, is catastrophic—especially at low altitude. Aviation professionals speculate that such a failure could result from fuel contamination or malfunctioning fuel metering systems. If fuel delivery to the engines is blocked or disrupted shortly after takeoff, it can lead to sudden and total engine power loss.
Another possibility gaining attention is that of a bird strike. Aircraft frequently encounter birds, especially near airports, but engines are typically built to withstand such impacts. However, if both engines ingest large birds simultaneously, especially during the vulnerable climb-out phase, they can fail. Fluid dynamics experts from the UK suggest that while a bird strike is unlikely to bring down an aircraft under normal circumstances, the possibility becomes far more serious if both engines are affected simultaneously.
Yet another theory being explored is a configuration error involving the plane’s wing flaps and landing gear. Eyewitness footage and expert analysis have raised questions about whether the flaps—which are extended during takeoff to help generate additional lift—were set correctly. The Dreamliner typically requires a flap setting of at least five degrees during takeoff. Failure to deploy flaps appropriately can severely hinder lift, causing the aircraft to struggle with altitude. Some experienced pilots also noticed in the crash footage that the landing gear appeared to still be extended, which would increase drag and reduce the aircraft’s climb performance. A combination of improper flap settings and failure to retract the landing gear might have compounded any mechanical issues the aircraft was already facing.
Several analysts, including former British Airways pilots, believe the footage shows that the aircraft did not achieve the expected rate of climb and might have been operating at a dangerously low thrust level. If the plane had a flap misconfiguration, was carrying extra drag from its gear, and suffered engine troubles, it would have had virtually no chance to recover at such a low altitude.
As investigators comb through the debris, data, and witness accounts, the role of weather has largely been ruled out. Meteorological reports from the day of the crash indicated clear skies, good visibility, and no strong winds or rain that could have interfered with the aircraft’s departure. The absence of weather-related anomalies only sharpens the focus on mechanical failure or human error.
The tragedy has brought renewed scrutiny on airline maintenance practices, airport safety protocols, and pilot training procedures. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner has been considered one of the safest and most efficient aircraft since its introduction, with no fatal crashes until now. Its first such accident raises serious concerns that will ripple across the global aviation community. The findings from this investigation could lead to revised safety guidelines, enhanced pilot checklists, and new technical checks for aircraft systems.
Until the final investigation report is released, much remains unknown. But for the families of the victims and the citizens of Ahmedabad, the crash is not just an aviation statistic—it is a deep wound that will take years to heal. The horrifying image of a jetliner tearing through a city, leaving fire and destruction in its wake, will remain etched in collective memory as a grim reminder of how even brief moments of mechanical failure or human oversight can lead to unthinkable loss.