Air India plane crash: 'Engines lost power at critical stage', says ex-Air Force Chief Arup Raha

Kolkata: Former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha (Retired) on Saturday attributed loss of power in the engine at a critical stage that left no time for recovery as the probable cause behind the crash of the Air India aircraft near Ahmedabad airport on June 12, that killed 241 out of 242 persons on board as well as several others on the ground. “Definitely there was loss of power and at a critical stage... you are transmitting from the ground into the air, your height is little. There is no time for recovery. And loss of engine power will result in a stall... (The aircraft) will then descend very rapidly and crash. And that is what has happened,” Raha said on the side-lines of an ICC event on the role of MSME in the defence sector.

Terming the incident as extremely sad and heart-breaking, he said there could be many other possibilities for the crash such as fuel contamination, and glitches in software and control systems. Raha completely ruled out the sabotage angle raised by some quarters and said, “There might be a software issue, some problem in the control (system), fuel contamination... But I do not give any credence to the sabotage angle. The loss of power was an indication of some glitch,” Raha said urging everyone not to make any wild claims till the DGCA ( Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and other agencies of the government complete the probe.

Calling for greater attention to regions like eastern and northeastern India, which remain under-represented in defence industrial development, Raha batted for establishment of a dedicated defence manufacturing corridor in the East. According to him, such a corridor would empower local MSMEs, drive employment, spur technological progress, and strengthen national self-reliance. “State governments in the east, including Bengal, must push the centre for such a corridor,” he added.