What exactly happened to Flight AI171 between Ahmedabad and London Gatwick on Thursday afternoon will only be revealed by a detailed investigation, but the moments after take-off can be the most challenging in aviation.
Indian investigators will be joined by experts from the US and UK in the coming days, as authorities attempt to establish what caused the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to crash shortly after take-off just 1.5km (0.9 miles) from the runway at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
It marks the first time a 787-8 Dreamliner has suffered a fatal crash since it entered commercial service in 2011. Thursday’s disaster killed 241 people onboard and more on the ground.
The BBC has spoken to aviation experts as well as pilots based in India – some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity – who regularly fly 787-8s out of India’s international airports to find out what factors might have caused the plane to slam into residential buildings in the heart of Ahmedabad just moments into its flight.
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