Flight 171 – It’s been days since the world first heard about the tragic incident involving Air India Flight 171, but questions still hang in the air—just like the jet never quite did. This is the third update, not a regurgitation of headlines, but a grounded and candid breakdown of what might have really happened that day. Straight from someone who knows the smell of jet fuel better than morning coffee: Captain Steve.
We Saw It Lift… And Then It Didn’t
Let’s cut through the noise: the aircraft rotated, achieved lift, the nose wheel left the tarmac, and boom—it was airborne. Engines? They sounded like they were pulling full thrust. But seconds later, lift seemed to vanish. Not a drift, not a dip—a collapse.
So what steals lift from wings so suddenly?
Initial theories suggested either dual engine failure or a serious error like flap misconfiguration. Now, let’s crush one myth for good: no, the pilots did not retract the flaps too early. That theory’s done, buried, and not worth reviving.
The Silent Hero: RAT’s Tale
Here’s something that did happen—the RAT deployed. For those who don’t speak plane, that’s the Ram Air Turbine, a kind of emergency backup generator. It drops out of the plane’s belly when things go truly south: like a full electrical or engine failure. Think of it as the Hail Mary of flight systems. And it deployed—confirmed by video, audio, and testimony from the one miraculous survivor.
Let that sink in. One man walked away from the crash. He heard a bang and saw the lights flicker. That matches exactly what you’d expect from RAT deployment. Add the captain’s mayday call—he clearly said, “thrust was not achieved.” The evidence stacks: power was lost.
No Thrust = No Lift = Disaster
A 787 can fly on one engine, easily. But here, it looked like both quit. Dual engine failure? That’s the smoking gun everyone’s eyeing.
So what causes that?
It boils down to two things: air and fuel. Simple, right? Keep reading.
The Air Theory: Hot Day, Cold Results
It was hot. Brutally hot—around 43°C (about 110°F). Heat doesn’t play nice with jet engines. Could that scorching tarmac have caused a compressor stall—an event where airflow into the engine gets so disrupted, it literally stalls out?
Maybe. Compressor stalls cause wild bangs and flames shooting from the back of the engine. But here’s the problem: nobody saw that. No flame. No shuttering. No fireworks. So while it’s technically a contender, it’s likely a weaker one.
The Fuel Dilemma: Two Possibilities
There are only two serious suspects in the fuel department:
1. Fuel Contamination
This one’s spooky. Imagine twigs, dirt, or even water getting into your jet fuel. That could starve engines, kill thrust, and doom a flight. But here’s the twist: modern airport fueling is like science fiction. The systems are so precise, they can detect a single drop of water in the fuel. Contamination on both engines at the exact same time? Not impossible—but let’s just say it’s unlikely.
2. Vapor Lock
Now this is the big debate—the one that’s flooding every pilot’s inbox.
What is it?
Vapor lock happens when fuel turns to vapor before it reaches the engine. If the engine’s expecting liquid and gets gas, guess what? It starves. No burn. No thrust.
Critics argue vapor lock is for piston engines. Not true. It’s a fuel system problem, not an engine type problem. It can happen in any aircraft where hot temperatures and hot engines meet volatile fuel.
Conditions that day? Perfect storm:
- 43°C heat.
- Possible short turnaround with residual engine heat.
- Boost pumps might not matter if they’re pushing vapor not liquid.
- Multiple pilots say it’s worth discussing.
Could vapor lock hit both engines at the same moment? Rare, but in extreme heat with rising temperatures and full thrust demand, it becomes a legitimate theory.
The Bottom Line: Still More Questions
To recap, here’s the likely shortlist:
✅ RAT deployed—undeniable sign of a critical failure.
✅ Engines failed—at least partially, confirmed by the mayday call.
❌ Pilot error on flaps—cleared.
⚠️ Compressor stall—possible, but weakly supported.
⚠️ Fuel contamination—unlikely, but can’t be ignored.
⚠️ Vapor lock—rare, but worth talking about.
Let’s Keep Talking—But Keep It Civil
Captain Steve isn’t just flapping his gums here. He’s putting this out there because the flying public deserves answers. And they deserve it without drama, blame, or clickbait.
Flying, he insists, is safe. He flew just yesterday. He’s flying to Paris, Munich, Dublin—next week. His life is still up in the skies. And that confidence isn’t blind. It’s backed by experience and realism.
So, next time someone mentions Air India 171, don’t just nod and change the topic. Be the one who explains what vapor lock is. Be the one who says “Yeah, they launched the RAT, but here’s why that matters.”
Because when you understand aviation, you fear it less—and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be the calmest one at 35,000 feet.
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✈️ Want more level-headed breakdowns like this? Stay tuned. Captain Steve’s got his hands on the yoke, and he’s not letting go.