US expert Steve Scheibner revises Air India crash theory, cites engine failure

In what could shed light on the possible cause of last week's fatal Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, former US Navy pilot Captain Steve Scheibner has highlighted new evidence suggesting it was a dual engine failure.

Pointing to a video of the Air India flight -- shot from a nearby rooftop -- that captured the moments leading up to the crash, Scheibner said there was sufficient audio and visual evidence to indicate that the ram air turbine (RAT) was deployed shortly after takeoff.

A RAT, which is located just behind the wing on the right side of the airplane, is deployed to power vital systems of an aircraft when it loses its electrical and hydraulic systems or experiences dual engine failure.

"You see kind it looks like a protrusion on the belly of the aircraft...just underneath, you see a little gray dot it almost looks like an artifact on the screen. That little gray dot is the RAT," he said.

"This is visual confirmation that the RAT was deployed," he added.

Scheibner then moves on to the audio evidence, pointing to a distinct "high-pitched squeal," which he says was made by a RAT, just before the crash.

"It sounds like a high-pitched prop, like a Cessna going by," he said.

"It's (RAT) not designed for an airplane that's at 400 or 500 feet and loses all power -- there's no time to get the engines restarted; there's no benefit to them," he added." It is to be remembered that the plane climbed to 625 feet before crashing down.

Eventually, the aviation expert cited the lone survivor's account wherein he said that he heard "a loud bang" and cabin lights flicker, moments before he escaped the plane. Scheibner pointed out that the lone survivor's account matched with what generally happens during RAT deployment.

With 20,000 hours of flying experience under his belt, Scheibner said that the jury is yet to be out on what actually caused the engines to collapse just after take-off. However, he feels that the traffic air control audio will reveal whether the real cause behind the Mayday call was a double engine failure.