Air India's plane suddenly came down 900 feet after takeoff; Know details

On June 14th, Air India Delhi-Vienna flight (AI-187) found itself in a dangerous situation when the plane descended about 900 feet soon after it took off. The mishap took place just 38 hours after a disastrous air crash in Ahmedabad, when over 270 persons lost their lives in a crash of a London-bound Air India flight AI-171 that took place on June 12th. The incident has cast serious doubts over safety regulations in the flying industry and the flight operations of Air India.

After taking off from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport at 2:56 am, the plane received several serious warnings amid stormy weather. These included “stick shaker” and “don’t sink” alerts twice from the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS). During this, the plane lost 900 feet of altitude during its initial climb. However, the pilot acted quickly and stabilised the aircraft, and after a flight of nine hours and eight minutes, it landed safely in Vienna.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an immediate inquiry into the incident, considering its seriousness. Both pilots have been taken off duty till the investigation is completed. The initial report only mentioned “stick shaker due to turbulence”, but a thorough examination of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) revealed stall and GPWS warnings.