- By Shubham Bajpai
- Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:40 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The veracity of the reports that have been filtering out so far about the Ahmedabad plane crash, which took place within 39 seconds of takeoff, will be revealed in the coming days by the final report of the investigating agencies, but the victims' lawyer, Mike Andrews, has rejected all the claims made so far by the AAIB and Boeing.
Mike's own personal investigation into the Air India Boeing aircraft crash suggests that the plane had a pre-existing defect, and based on the symptoms of the plane crash, he believes that a defect in the electrical system was the cause of the plane crash.
241 onboard, including crew, and 19 on the ground died in the crash of AI-171 flight, which flew from Ahmedabad to London on June 12.
Mike Andrews, Partner and Attorney of Beasley Allen Law Firm USA, which is fighting the case in America on behalf of the families of the 150 deceased American and British passengers, claims that a suicide narrative was spread after the plane crash, but the plane crash seems to have occurred due to a technical fault.
What's the argument on the accident video?
Based on video and photo evidence from the accident, it appears that the RAT device was deployed and operationalised before the aircraft left the runway. This is a crucial aspect of the accident, according to Mike. He argues that a malfunction in the fuel switch caused the RAT to deploy prematurely.
This contradicts the claim made in the interim report on the accident, which was based on the cockpit conversation between the pilot and co-pilot.
According to Mike's findings, the aircraft displayed fault signals even before takeoff. It is also being reported that the aircraft's transponder initially shut down and then turned on.
The law firm categorically rejected the pilot suicide theory, which was widely interpreted after the interim report was released. The firm also claimed that the ill-fated aircraft had previously suffered from technical problems and that its electrical panel had been replaced once. A water leak could also have damaged the circuitry.
What does Mike Andrews have to say?
Mike Andrews asserted that the activation of the RAT on the runway, a faulty signal at the gate, and a transponder failure during taxiing all point to an electrical/system failure. Following the crash, various theories emerged regarding the fuel switch being off, but the victims' lawyers claim the problem began before it.
The law firm, based on flight simulator testing, claimed that the accident aircraft's takeoff was longer or slower than expected. This could be the result of brake drag or reduced thrust, and typically takes 14 to 18 seconds. However, based on the timing of the preliminary report, the RAT had already been discharged several seconds before the aircraft began to rotate. The slow takeoff and early RAT discharge support the claim of electrical failure, not pilot error.
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Pilots' body asks not to make report public
Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) President Captain CS Randhawa will address a press conference in Ahmedabad on Thursday, ahead of the first anniversary of the plane crash. Randhawa will discuss lessons learned from plane crashes, the investigation of the Boeing 171 crash, civil aviation safety standards, and accountability for accidents.
Earlier, a letter was sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Civil Aviation Ministry, and others, demanding that the AAIB be stopped from releasing any report on the Ahmedabad plane crash. The body made this appeal, citing the overall safety of the plane and passengers.