Air India Crash: US Expert Flags Dual Engine Failure, RAT Deployment

On June 12, 2025, an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner (flight AI171) tragically crashed moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London Gatwick. The disaster claimed 241 lives, including 230 passengers, 12 crew members, and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Communication with the aircraft was lost within a minute of departure before it crashed into a residential area near the airport.

While the cause of the crash remains under investigation, aviation expert and retired US Navy pilot Captain Steve Scheibner believes a critical detail points to what went wrong. In a detailed YouTube analysis, Scheibner highlighted the deployment of the aircraft's Ram Air Turbine (RAT) as an important clue. This device automatically activates during a total engine failure to provide emergency power, suggesting a catastrophic systems failure.

Scheibner, who has over 14,000 hours of flight experience and retired from American Airlines in 2022, reviewed new video footage of the crash. Based on his analysis, he suggested the aircraft may have suffered a dual engine failure—an extremely rare and deadly occurrence.

Scheibner’s vast experience flying Boeing aircraft, including the 727 through 777 series, lends credibility to his theory. The recovered black boxes are expected to provide definitive answers. Meanwhile, aviation authorities continue their investigation into one of India’s deadliest aviation tragedies in recent memory.