Flight to Gatwick crashes near airport in Ahmedabad, India,

As the engines re-emerge from behind that hut's roof, and the plane rotates, is that smoke that can be seen around the engines? Or is it just dust from the lift off from the ground?

The "bird strike" theory only came into play as it would be one of the most plausible explanations on why both engines lost thrust suddenly. Both engines cutting out at the same time is more than rare these days, so the bird strike would be theoretically the most plausible consideration. However normally black smoke would be seen coming out of the engine and that wasn't seen by anybody. Another theory was sabotage of the fuel. In the video it's very clear that the plane doesn't gain altitude at all, just drifts on until the crash. This would imply some form of engine issue.

In the end, we'd have to wait for the evaluation of the flight recorder and black box.

Obviously we will only discover the true cause after the two black boxes have had their contents download and analysed. In the meantime all anybody can do is to speculate and theorise the cause of the crash. Several reports suggest the ram air turbine could be seen (and heard), suggesting a power/ hydraulic failure, other reports not so sure, some question the flaps setting for maximum lift at takeoff ? that hasn't been established either. Then we have the question of engine thrust …

Lots of grainy video images from two videos.

The only survivor mentioned "a loud noise" before impact, and that's all we have to go on for now. Black box results due early next week I think.

New pics doing the rounds showing that flaps were extended.

nm

Latest theories seem to be dismissing the undeployed flaps cause. Total loss of engine power/hydraulics is what is being hinted at now. The RAT (Ram air turbine) seems to have been deployed which only happens in the above scenario.

Dual engine failure seems now more likely.

The timeline of the black box being found and downloaded ties very nearly to Boeing CEO pulling out of attending Paris Air Show, they've since fully cancelled their press event there.

I posted on the Aviation & Aircraft thread regarding what I think might be the cause. Complete speculation on my part of course.

I think the public would have a right to know.

My guess it was most likely engine failure, but dual engine failure is actually more than rare. Thus I would also not only suspect a bird strike, but maybe some kind of sabotage. The latter would be something the authorities might want to conceal?

In fairness the short time before it being airborne is probably critical as well. Checklists , chat during taxiing etc..

If I understood him correctly, that's exactly his point: the plane sounds like a small Cessna because we can only hear the RAT and not those 2 powerful jet engines who are supposed to produce takeoff thrust.

Another theory …

Speculation involving the wrong fuel being loaded into the planes tanks !! Just another theory of course, to add to bird strike, wrong flap setting etc. What has now been established is that the RAT was deployed, and that's a certainty that wasn't present a couple of days ago.