Did both engines fail due to bird strikes or fuel contamination? Were the flaps improperly extended, reducing lift on a heavily loaded jet in extreme heat? Was there a maintenance error during engine servicing? Or did an inadvertent crew action cut off fuel to both engines? These and many more questions are begging for answers.
Every scorched cable, damaged turbine blade, airplane maintenance log, and signals and sounds from the flight data and cockpit voice recorders – the so-called “black box” – will be examined. The BBC spoke to accident experts to understand how the investigation will proceed.
Critically, the first clues on the ground may come from the wreckage of the two engines, at least three investigators said.
“You can tell from the damage whether the engines were generating power at impact – turbines fracture differently when spinning at high speed,” says Peter Goelz, a former managing director of US’s National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). “That’s the first clue to what went wrong.”
Turbines are crucial rotating components that play a key role in extracting energy to generate thrust.
“If the engines weren’t producing power, investigators have a serious case on their hands – and the focus will shift sharply to the cockpit.”
What happened in the cockpit will be revealed by the Boeing 787’s Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs) – or the “black boxes” – which, investigators say, will help tell the story. (Indian officials say the recorders have been recovered from the crash site.)
If the flight data recorder shows the engines were making full power, then the attention will move to the flaps and slats. If they are found to be extended as needed, then it becomes a very difficult investigation,” says Mr Goelz.
Flaps and slats increase lift at lower speeds, helping an aircraft take off and land safely by allowing it to fly slower without stalling.
“If [the trail leads] to a problem in the flight management control system, that would raise serious concerns – not just for Boeing, but for the entire aviation industry.”
We at Divaviva111.com are with the Indian families who lost their loved ones in this tragic crash. May they find the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.