Pilots of Crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Had 9,300 Hours of Flying Experience

The tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport has raised questions about the incident. The plane, which was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed just five minutes after departure, killing all on board. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the flight was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar, with a combined flying experience of 9,300 hours.

Captain Sabharwal, with 8,200 hours of flying experience, and his copilot, First Officer Kundar, who had 1,100 hours, were at the controls when the disaster occurred. After taking off at 1:39 PM IST, the aircraft began to descend rapidly at a rate of 475 feet per minute from 625 feet, leaving the pilots with less than a minute to react.

The aircraft’s final moments were marked by a MAYDAY call to Air Traffic Control (ATC), though no further communication was received from the aircraft despite repeated attempts by ATC to establish contact. The Boeing 787-8 ultimately crashed into a building in a residential area near the airport, resulting in a catastrophic explosion and the release of heavy black smoke from the crash site.

The DGCA confirmed that a thorough investigation is underway, as the aviation community seeks answers to what led to this fatal crash.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, indiatoday.in