Air India crash: Flight AI171 flew with extended gear, retracted flaps; Experts analyse what went wrong

A new analysis of flight footage from the crashed Air India AI171 has raised critical concerns about the aircraft’s configuration just seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad. In a rare and highly irregular combination, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was seen with landing gear still extended and wing flaps fully retracted, a configuration that sharply contradicts standard operating procedures for early climb and may signal a cascading technical failure or emergency response by the crew.

According to early visual analysis, the Dreamliner failed to follow normal flight configuration shortly after liftoff. Flaps, essential for generating lift at lower speeds, were fully retracted, even as the aircraft struggled to gain altitude. Simultaneously, the landing gear remained extended, compounding drag and severely affecting climb performance.

Boeing’s standard operating procedure for the 787-8 mandates flaps to be set at 5 or higher during takeoff. These are typically retracted only after the aircraft accelerates and achieves stable climb. Landing gear, meanwhile, is normally retracted within seconds after positive climb is established and well before reaching 600 feet.

In this case, visuals showed the gear beginning to retract but quickly extending again, possibly in reaction to an unexpected loss of thrust or a power issue.

Experts point to two possible scenarios: either a mechanical or hydraulic failure that kept the landing gear stuck in the down position, or a crew decision to retract the flaps prematurely to offset drag caused by the extended gear. Both situations are highly risky, especially at low altitude and speed, where premature flap retraction could drastically reduce lift and raise the risk of a stall.

Despite these configuration issues, the aircraft’s trajectory remained largely stable without sharp yawing or rolling, suggesting some level of control was maintained by the pilots. One possibility being examined is the application of right rudder input, typically used in response to a left engine failure, but this alone does not account for the highly unusual gear-flap combination.

The final moments appeared to show a sharp loss of altitude, likely resulting from insufficient lift and excessive drag, conditions under which recovery becomes nearly impossible.