“We’re Losing Thrust!”: Unverified Leaks and the Tragic Final Moments of Air India Flight 171

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, plummeted into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad, India, just 36 seconds after takeoff, killing 241 of the 242 people onboard and at least 33 on the ground. The crash, the deadliest involving a 787 and Air India’s worst since 1985, has left the aviation world grappling with questions about its cause. Reports of a “leaked” cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript, claiming the co-pilot, First Officer Clive Kunder, exclaimed, “We’re losing thrust!” at 18 seconds into the flight, followed by a scream from Captain Sumeet Sabharwal that has “shaken the aviation world,” have fueled speculation. While these details remain unverified, official reports confirm a mayday call citing “no power… no thrust… going down.” As investigators analyze the recovered black boxes, the aviation industry faces unsettling questions about systemic vulnerabilities that could allow such a tragedy to happen again.

The Crash: A 36-Second Catastrophe

Flight 171, bound for London Gatwick, took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 p.m. local time, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Piloted by Captain Sabharwal, with over 8,200 flight hours, and First Officer Kunder, with 1,100 hours, the aircraft was expected to climb smoothly. Instead, it reached a maximum altitude of 672 feet before descending rapidly, crashing into the B.J. Medical College hostel 1.5 kilometers from the runway. The impact caused multiple explosions, leaving only one survivor, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, seated in 11A near an emergency exit.

CCTV footage shows the aircraft struggling to gain altitude, maintaining a nose-up posture before plummeting. A mayday call, issued seconds after takeoff, reported “no power… no thrust… going down,” according to India’s aviation ministry. Air traffic control received no response after the call, and the plane crashed 36 seconds after liftoff, igniting a fireball that devastated the crash site.

The “Leaked” Recording: Fact or Speculation?

Social media and unverified reports have circulated claims of a “leaked” CVR transcript, alleging that at 18 seconds into the flight, First Officer Kunder shouted, “We’re losing thrust!” followed by an unspecified scream from Captain Sabharwal that has sent shockwaves through the aviation community. These claims, however, lack corroboration from official sources. The CVR, recovered on June 16, 2025, alongside the flight data recorder (FDR) on June 13, is being analyzed at India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) lab in Delhi. CVR transcripts are highly confidential under international protocols, and no verified leaks have been reported by credible outlets like the BBC, Reuters, or The Guardian.

The official narrative, supported by India’s aviation ministry and posts on X, confirms Captain Sabharwal’s mayday call: “Mayday… Mayday… No power… No thrust… Going down.” This aligns with the reported loss of engine power but does not confirm the co-pilot’s specific phrase or a dramatic scream. The alleged 18-second mark suggests a critical moment halfway through the flight’s brief duration, possibly when the pilots realized the severity of the issue. Ambient cockpit noises, alarms, or engine sounds captured by the CVR could clarify the sequence, but until official findings are released, the “leaked” transcript remains speculative.

Investigating the Cause

The AAIB, with assistance from Boeing, GE Aerospace, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, is probing multiple theories. The mayday call’s focus on “no thrust” points to a potential dual-engine failure, a rare event for the 787’s GE engines. Experts like Mohan Ranganathan have noted that double engine failure is “very, very rare,” ruling it out as a primary focus based on available footage. A bird strike, common at Ahmedabad due to its “notorious” bird activity, is another possibility, though not a key focus of the probe.

Other theories include flap or slat misconfiguration, which could prevent sufficient lift, especially in the 40°C heat that demands higher thrust. CCTV footage suggests the landing gear remained down, indicating the pilots were preoccupied with an emergency. A system-wide electrical or flight management control system failure could also explain the loss of thrust, raising broader concerns for the 787 fleet. The FDR, which logs parameters like thrust settings and flap positions, and the CVR, capturing pilot communications and cockpit alarms, will be critical in reconstructing the 36-second flight.

Aviation World’s Reaction

The unverified “leaked” transcript has amplified public and industry alarm, particularly the vivid imagery of the co-pilot’s cry and the captain’s scream. Posts on X reflect this sentiment, describing Sabharwal’s mayday call as “profoundly chilling” and praising the pilots’ composure. The aviation community, however, is focused on verified data. The crash’s unprecedented nature—the first fatal 787 incident since its 2011 debut—has shaken confidence in the model’s “impeccable” safety record. Boeing’s stock dropped nearly 9%, and the company has deferred to the AAIB while offering support.

Experts like Peter Goelz, former NTSB managing director, emphasize that turbine damage will reveal whether the engines were operational at impact. If flaps were retracted or the flight management system failed, it could point to design or maintenance issues, prompting scrutiny of Air India’s 33 remaining 787s, 26 of which have been cleared after inspections. The crash has also revived concerns about Air India’s safety record, with allegations of past violations and inadequate oversight.

Could It Happen Again?

The Air India 171 tragedy highlights systemic risks that could lead to recurrence:

Maintenance Gaps: While inspections found no major issues with Air India’s 787 fleet, minor components—like a hypothetical $15 seat rail clip from earlier speculation—could cause cascading failures if overlooked.

Bird Strikes: Ahmedabad’s bird-prone environment underscores the need for better wildlife management near airports.

Design Vulnerabilities: A flight management system failure, if confirmed, could implicate the 787’s automated systems, affecting over 1,200 aircraft worldwide.

Pilot Training: The 36-second window left little time for response, highlighting the need for enhanced low-altitude emergency training.

Moving Forward

India’s aviation ministry has ordered safety checks on all 787s, and a high-level committee will propose new standard operating procedures within three months. The recovery of both black boxes offers hope for answers, but the process will take time. The “leaked” CVR claims, while gripping, underscore the dangers of unverified information in aviation disasters. As families mourn, including those of Captain Sabharwal and First Officer Kunder, the industry must ensure that the loss of 274 lives drives meaningful change to prevent another such tragedy.