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June 15, 2025: After the flight crew's chilling final communication with air traffic control, the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 on Thursday is being closely examined for a possible thrust failure during takeoff. According to The Times of India, moments before the Boeing Dreamliner crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel in Ahmedabad, the pilot made a distress call: "Thrust not achieved… falling… Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!"

This was the final message from the cockpit before the aircraft lost contact, according to the Ahmedabad police. The aircraft had nearly exhausted the entire 3.5-kilometer runway at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, which is significantly longer than the 2.5- to 3-kilometer distance typically required for a wide-body jet like the Dreamliner to take off. This information was provided by officials and reported by news agency. The crash investigation is now concentrating heavily on this unusually long runway roll. "The longer runway roll hints at a possibility that the aircraft lacks adequate thrust for take-off," a source close to the investigation told News Agency. After the black box has been decoded, the facts can be determined." What does it mean to say "thrust not achieved?" "Thrust not achieved" typically indicates that the engines were unable to generate the necessary force to lift the aircraft off the ground in aviation.

A plane's thrust is the forward force generated by the engines to overcome drag and reach the lift-off speed required. If the aircraft does not reach full thrust during takeoff, it may not gain enough speed to safely ascend, which could result in a crash if there is not enough runway left to stop the takeoff. No prior indications of technical fault.

Airport sources confirmed that there were no earlier indications of trouble, despite the apparent loss of thrust. "There were no requests to modify the thrust, flap, or runway configurations. The weather remained stable, and it was easy to see. One official was quoted by the agency as saying, "Temperature was high, but within operational limits." This is supported by airport surveillance footage, which shows a longer-than-usual attempt to take off but no visible signs of an onboard emergency. Engine irregularities, sudden pitch deviations, or unexpected maneuvers were not detected by ATC or ground personnel.

According to sources familiar with the airline's coordination with India's civil aviation regulator, all communication and procedure protocols were followed. A source claimed, "There was no lapse in coordination between the airline and DGCA." Safety exercises had been held on a regular basis at the airport itself. An airport official told the sources, "At SVPI airport, we conduct full-scale emergency drills annually, with modular simulations throughout the year." To better comprehend what led to the critical thrust failure, authorities are currently awaiting data from the aircraft's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, collectively referred to as the "black box." To figure out if Flight 171's final moments were caused by a mechanical problem, human error, or a system failure, these data will be crucial.