Ahmedabad plane crash: Why no one is questioning Air India's training standards, asks Odisha pilot

In the wake of the horrifying AI-171 plane crash that claimed around 265 lives near Ahmedabad, a former Air India commercial pilot from Odisha has raised serious concerns over the aircraft’s maintenance and design, calling into question aspects that many have not been discussed so far.

Speaking to ANI, the former pilot, Manmath Routray said, “To date, no one has even questioned Air India's training standards.” He hinted at operational negligence that may have allowed a preventable tragedy to unfold.

Maintenance Oversight Suspected

Routray revealed that according to initial findings, the aircraft had recently undergone extensive maintenance. “A substantial amount of work has been completed, and many components have been overhauled. Perhaps a mistake occurred during maintenance,” he said. 

#WATCH | Bhubaneswar, Odisha: On the AI-171 plane crash, Former Commercial Pilot of Air India & BJD Leader Manmath Routray says, "To date, no one has even questioned Air India's training standards... The scene reveals that much data emerged from various sources yesterday, which… pic.twitter.com/50CWtaO4iz

— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2025

Landing Gear & Thrust System in Focus

The former pilot pointed out that visuals and debris assessments suggest that the landing gear did not retract after take-off — a critical anomaly that could have compromised the aircraft's aerodynamics and fuel efficiency.

“There seems to be a problem with the thrust, and if the landing gear failed, that indicates a major technical defect,” he said, adding that thrust imbalance or failure, particularly at the point of ascent, can lead to catastrophic loss of control.

Boeing's Design Under Scanner

While Air India and DGCA continue their probe, Routray didn’t hold back from questioning Boeing’s design integrity. “If both [thrust and landing gear] have failed, there is a possibility of fault in Boeing’s design,” he said. 

Calls for Independent Probe

His comments have triggered calls from several quarters for an independent inquiry. Aviation safety experts believe that human error, technical malfunction, and systemic oversight all need to be considered with equal seriousness.