Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on a London-bound Boeing 787-8 aircraft crashing shortly after take-off in India.
Prof Graham Braithwaite, Director of Aerospace and Aviation, Cranfield University, said:
What do we know about the situation so far?
“The aircraft involved is an 11-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This is the first major accident involving the 787.
“At this point we don’t know whether there are any survivors or whether there have been any casualties on the ground.
What don’t we know and are waiting to find out?
“At this stage the focus will be on search and rescue at the site. For the airline, they will be focused on caring for family members and friends at both the departure airport and destination. Until the manifest is confirmed, they will be dealing with a very high number of enquiries from concerned friends and families. Early information about the accident is unlikely to be accurate so even though people will look at tools like FlightRadar 24, it won’t tell us anything about the “why it happened”. We should be very careful not to speculate on cause when there is so little reliable information available.
Is it unusual for a plane crash to occur so soon after take-off?
“Yes. Although take off is a critical stage of flight, aircraft accidents are incredibly rare, especially involving modern aircraft types such as the Boeing 787. Take off is a critical stage because the aircraft is still accelerating and any problem-solving requires a rapid response.
Any other information you think is relevant for journalists to know.
“The accident will be investigated by the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau – an organisation which is independent from the aviation regulator, and which is focused on ‘not for blame’ safety investigations. This is governed by an international standard known as ICAO Annex 13. Under that, participants will include the US National Transportation Safety Board as the State of Manufacturer. Stated with a significant number of people on board will also have a right to participate so I would expect the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch to be involved.”
Declared interests
No reply to our request for DOIs was received.