Air India 171: Understanding the Tragedy and the Possibility of Vapor Lock
📰 Overview
The crash of Air India Flight 171 has raised serious questions in the aviation world. Initial theories ranged from mechanical failure to human error — but what really caused the aircraft to lose lift moments after takeoff?
This decode explores the verified facts, technical indicators, and a lesser-known but important possibility that's stirred debate among pilots: vapor lock.
🧾 Confirmed Timeline & Key Events
- The Boeing 787 achieved rotation and liftoff from the runway.
- Engines were producing near-full thrust at the moment of takeoff.
- Seconds after takeoff, the aircraft lost lift, resulting in a fatal crash.
- A RAT (Ram Air Turbine) was deployed — a last-resort system triggered under severe electrical or hydraulic failure.
- The landing gear never retracted.
- The captain issued a mayday indicating a failure to achieve thrust.
👨✈️ Pilots: Professionals Under Pressure
Despite initial speculation, it's now confirmed that there was no flap misconfiguration. The flight crew followed standard protocol. Suggestions of pilot error have been dismissed.
✈️ These pilots were highly trained professionals operating in complex conditions. Their final actions were heroic efforts to save the aircraft.
🔍 Dissecting the Engine Failure
Modern jet engines are simple in principle:
- They require steady airflow
- They require uncontaminated liquid fuel
Failure in either of these systems — air or fuel — can result in engine flameout. Let's explore the scenarios.
🌬️ Airflow Disruption
Compressor stalls, though rare, can occur due to disturbed airflow at takeoff. However:
- No signs of backfire or flame were reported.
- No witness accounts or flight audio captured distinctive stall noise.
Airflow interruption, while possible, remains unconfirmed in this case.
⛽ Fuel-Based Failures
There are three ways fuel issues could cause engine shutdown:
❌ 1. Manual Fuel Cutoff
This is used during shutdown at the gate. No chance this occurred mid-takeoff. Ruled out.
⚠️ 2. Fuel Contamination
- Contaminants like water, dirt, or debris could block fuel flow.
- However, major airports use automated refueling systems with filters to detect even a single drop of water.
If contamination slipped through, it would affect both engines — still a plausible scenario.
🔥 3. Vapor Lock (The Hot Debate)
The most discussed theory by aviation experts and pilots is vapor lock — a condition where liquid fuel turns into vapor in the supply lines, preventing proper fuel delivery.
🔬 Understanding Vapor Lock
According to aviation expert Neil Glazier:
"Vapor lock is a phenomenon that can occur when fuel in the supply lines turns to vapor... preventing the pump from delivering liquid fuel to the engine."
⚠️ Conditions That Can Cause Vapor Lock:
- Hot ambient temperatures (it was 43°C on the day of the incident)
- Engine heat from prior flights
- Prolonged exposure on hot asphalt runway
- Quick aircraft turnaround
- Fuel volatility (especially certain types of jet fuel)
The max fuel temperature on many aircraft is 49°C. On that day, the plane was operating dangerously close to that limit.
Could vapor lock affect both engines? Statistically rare — but in extreme cases, yes.
📊 Summary of Theories
| Possible Cause | Status | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Flap Misconfiguration | ❌ Ruled out | Data disproves |
| Compressor Stall | ⚠️ Possible | No visual/audio evidence |
| Manual Fuel Shutoff | ❌ Ruled out | Not relevant |
| Fuel Contamination | ✅ Plausible | Possible airport fueling lapse |
| Vapor Lock | ✅ Plausible | All conditions were present |
✈️ Safety in Modern Aviation
Let’s be clear — this tragedy is an outlier. The global aviation industry remains one of the safest forms of travel. Incidents like Air India 171 are investigated in full to ensure learning, improvement, and prevention.
💬 Final Word
This article decodes what we currently know — from the RAT deployment and gear behavior to dual-engine failure and the controversial vapor lock theory. Whether it's fuel contamination or vapor lock, both need serious investigation.
We await official findings. Until then, respectful discussion from pilots, engineers, and the public is encouraged.
✅ In Conclusion
While several theories remain under consideration, vapor lock deserves a place at the table in our discussion.
Flying remains safe.
Investigations will bring clarity.
And until then, we'll keep decoding — for the public, for the curious, and for safety's sake.