Veteran hands, tragic end: Pilots mourn Ahmedabad Air India crash

Air India pilots SAID that Ahmedabad airport has long been known for bird activity near the runway, which could have contributed to the incident

Shortly after the Air India Ahmedabad-London flight crashed, reports of an accident near the city’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport started trickling in on a WhatsApp group of the airline’s pilots. 

There was an initial shock, followed by complete silence, as the group members expressed disbelief that a Boeing Dreamliner, considered to be among the safest and best aircraft, had crashed. 

The mood soon turned sombre, with messages of condolences for the two pilots feared dead, pouring in, several Air India pilots Business Standard spoke to said. 

The two pilots, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder, had more than relevant flying experience under their belt, these pilots said.   

Captain Sabharwal’s experience of more than 8,000 flying hours translates to nearly a decade of experience, while First Officer Kunder’s experience of nearly 1,200 hours is nearly two years of flying experience, which is more than necessary for short-haul international flights between India and other countries, an Air India pilot told Business Standard on the condition of anonymity. 

“The Ahmedabad-Gatwick route is a 10-hour direct flight, so two pilots were enough. International flights where the flying duration is more than 10 hours need 3 pilots, and when it is more than 14 hours, 4 pilots are on board,” the pilot said. 

Another Air India pilot, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the aircraft appeared to have lifted off normally, ruling out issues with take-off speeds or loading. 

“From the limited visuals available, it looks like a probable engine failure, possibly one or even both, potentially following a bird strike,” the pilot said, adding that the aircraft was unable to gain altitude after take-off.   

The pilot noted that as the aircraft began losing height and neared a building, the crew seemingly made a final attempt to lift the nose, evident from the sharp upward pitch just before impact, as seen in a viral video. 

The Air India pilots also added that Ahmedabad airport has long been known for bird activity near the runway, which could have contributed to the incident.  

“This issue (of the excessive presence of birds) has been flagged multiple times,” a third Air India pilot said, asking not to be named. 

Air India did not respond to queries seeking its response on the issue.