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While the Air India flight hardly gained much of an altitude before the crash, it was at an ideal height for the pilots to retract the landing gear
The Air India plane moments before it crashed after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on June 12. (Image: PTI)
Videos captured on CCTV cameras show that the Air India flight, which was involved in an accident in Ahmedabad on Thursday, crashed into a residential area shortly after taking off.
A video from the airport shows that the London-bound flight was airborne for only 30 seconds before it rapidly descended and crashed into a doctors’ hostel in a medical college, causing a massive explosion. But visuals and videos of the plane before it crashed indicate to the possibility that its wheels were out when it crashed.
According to reports, the plane rapidly reached a height of 625 feet before it started descending. While it hardly gained much of an altitude before the crash, it was at an ideal height for the pilots to retract the landing gear. But, it is likely that the pilots were unable to fold the wheels inside before tragedy struck.
The specific reasons for the crash of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft will be known only after the completion of a detailed probe. Many experts, however, pointed out that failure of both the engines or a bird hit soon after takeoff could be among the probable causes that led to the fatal crash.
In this context, it would be interesting to know the functions of the landing gear during takeoff. It is one of the most important components of flight operations as technical glitches in this equipment can cause major accidents.
In fact, only last year in October, a Sharjah-bound Air India Express flight – a Boeing 737 aircraft – had to make an emergency landing soon after takeoff in Tamil Nadu’s Trichy. This was due to hydraulic failure, which essentially meant that its landing gear failed to retract or fold.
Since the plane could not land as usual due to the issue with its landing gear, the pilot had to take permission for a belly landing. The wheels, however, opened and the pilot could make a normal landing.
SO, WHEN DO THE WHEELS GO IN?
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a plane’s landing gear is typically retracted once a positive rate of climb is established and at least 500 feet above the surrounding terrain or obstacles.
Experts, however, said the gear can be retracted much earlier depending on topography and can vary on aircraft type, climb path, and pilot preference. The main factor in all cases is a positive rate of climb.
Pilots generally start retracting the flaps and landing gear once they have achieved a positive rate of climb, which means the aircraft is at an ideal height. The recommended height is at least 500 feet for takeoff power to be maintained.
WHAT IS LANDING GEAR?
Landing gear, also known as the undercarriage, has the wheels that enable the aircraft to taxi, land, and take off while also supporting its weight when it is not in flight.
These components also absorb the impact of landing and include wheels, struts, drag braces, and hydraulic actuators. As with the Air India Express flight going to Sharjah last year, hydraulic failure forced it to make an emergency landing. Landing gear must undergo proper maintenance and regular checks to ensure safety.
Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st…Read More
Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st… Read More
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