Ahmedabad Plane Crash / ATC recordings reveal what happened in those 26 minutes

Ahmedabad Plane Crash: A horrific plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on June 12, 2025 shook the whole country. Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft (VT-ANB), which was about 12 years old, was going from Ahmedabad to London. The plane crashed on the hostel of BJ Medical College a few minutes after takeoff. Only one passenger out of 242 passengers and crew members survived in this accident, while a total of 260 people, including many people on the ground, lost their lives. The Aviation Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released a preliminary investigation report of this accident, which helps in understanding the causes and sequence of events of the accident.

Timeline of the accident

Based on the recordings of Air Traffic Control (ATC), AAIB has prepared a detailed timeline of events related to the accident. This timeline (time in IST) is as follows:

01:13:00 PM: The plane asked for permission to pushback and startup.

01:13:13 PM: ATC approves pushback.

01:16:59 PM: ATC approves start-up of aircraft.

01:19:12 PM: ATC asks if the aircraft needs the full length of runway 23.

The aircraft confirms that it needs the full length of the runway.

01:25:15 PM: The aircraft asks permission to taxi (move to the runway), which ATC grants.

01:32:03 PM: The aircraft is handed over from ground control to tower control.

01:33:45 PM: The tower instructs the aircraft to line up on runway 23.

01:37:33 PM: The aircraft receives take-off clearance from runway 23. The wind direction at the time was 240 degrees and the speed was 6 knots.

01:39:05 PM: The aircraft (AI171) sent a mayday call, indicating an impending disaster.

Analysis of the timeline

This timeline shows that the aircraft began its flight procedures at 01:13 am. All processes were going on normally, from pushback, startup, taxiing and take-off approval. About one and a half minutes after take-off, the aircraft made a mayday call, indicating that a serious technical or operational problem occurred soon after take-off. This call reflects the situation just before the accident, after which the aircraft lost control and crashed.

Preliminary findings

The AAIB's preliminary report has not yet revealed the exact causes of the accident. However, it is clear from the timeline that a serious problem occurred within a few seconds after take-off. Investigators are now analysing the plane's black box (flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder) to determine if the accident was caused by a technical fault, human error, or an external factor. In addition, the weather conditions (wind speed 6 knots and direction 240 degrees) were normal, making the possibility of weather being considered a cause of the accident less likely.

Impact of the accident

The accident not only shocked the families of the passengers and crew members, but also the local community of Ahmedabad. Many people on the ground also lost their lives as the plane fell on the hostel of BJ Medical College. The accident has raised questions about aviation safety and emergency management systems.

Further investigation

The AAIB has said that this is only a preliminary report and a detailed investigation is still underway. A thorough analysis of the black box data, aircraft maintenance records, crew training and circumstances at the time of the accident will be done. Apart from this, ATC recordings and eyewitness statements will also be included in the investigation.