Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/SAM PANTHAKY
Topics: Air India, India, Plane, World News
Gerrard Kaonga
Topics: Air India, India, Plane, World News
The Air India plane that plummeted to the earth with 242 people on board has sparked a lot of questions.
On June 12, an Air India flight left Ahmedabad and was heading for London Gatwick before it suddenly started to fall out of the sky.
Video footage has shown the rapid descent of the plane and upon impact, there was a massive explosion, and plume of smoke was seen rising into the sky.
According to the airline, there were 242 passengers and crew members on board.
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Air India added: "Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals."
Authorities have confirmed that the plane crash landed only four miles away from the airport after only reaching a height of around 625 feet.
There have also been reports of one sole survivor from the plane crash, who is still currently in hospital.
An investigation has been launched into what caused the tragedy, but an aviation expert has weighed in on the potential issues that may have arisen.
Former British Airways pilot Alastair Rosenschein spoke to Sky News after analyzing footage of the plane crash.
Rosenschein pointed out some clear issues that he says may have contributed to the plane failing to take off properly.
He said: “It's clearly got its [landing] gear down and that is not correct... it should have been up. And from the video... it's not immensely clear... but it does look like the aircraft didn't have its take-off flap setting.”
The expert emphasized the importance of the wing flaps and how they need to be set correctly to extend the shape of each wing and ultimately give the plane the extra lift needed at lower speeds to take off and climb.
He did note that, at this time, he is only speculating that this could have been a factor.
Authorities are currently still investigating the cause of the plane crash and have not released an official statement on the root cause.
He added: “[This] could explain why the aircraft came down [as the] aircraft would not have been able to maintain flight.
"The video is not that clear, but it [the flaps setting] doesn't look right to me.
"The altitude of the aircraft isn't right either and the aircraft seems to be descending rather than climbing.
"It does look like it's an aerodynamic issue because of not having the right flaps setting on take-off."
His comments come after authorities have revealed the alleged final words of the pilot who was flying the plane.
The captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, called out down his radio: "Mayday [...] no thrust, losing power, unable to lift."
Sabharwal reportedly had 22 years worth of experience and had raked up 8,200 hours in the air.