Following the deadly crash of Air India flight 171 in Ahmedabad, the popular aviation YouTube channel Wyngx has sharply criticised what it calls the “horrible” and “conspiratorial” coverage by Indian TV news pundits. The channel is run by Vikram V, who goes by “Wings” in his videos. Known for its cinematic and in-depth storytelling around aviation disasters and safety investigations, Wyngx has built a global following. Vikram, a seasoned creator with over a decade of experience, recently released a rare early-response video, methodically debunking the widely circulated theories surrounding the crash.
In the starting of the video, the narrator clearly explains – the idea that the crash was caused solely because the aircraft’s landing gear was down is reductive and misleading. According to Wyngx, the landing gear, while contributing to drag, would not alone cause the complete loss of lift or forward thrust.
“Raising the landing gear is not top priority when you’ve just declared a mayday seconds after takeoff,” the aviation Youtuber states, adding that conflating this with the root cause of the crash is “definitely not accurate.”
The flap lever conspiracy ‘doesn’t hold up physically’
Another circulating theory suggests the first officer may have mistakenly retracted the flaps instead of the landing gear. But Wyngx dismisses this outright. “It’s like saying I pulled the handbrake instead of pressing the brake pedal,” the narrator argues, pointing out that the levers are in entirely different locations and that such a mistake is highly improbable, especially with seasoned pilots.
Drawing comparisons to the infamous Yeti Airlines 691 crash, the video explains that in that incident, the propeller and flap levers were adjacent, unlike in the Boeing aircraft involved in this crash.
Condition of aircraft
Addressing an Instagram post allegedly from a former Air India employee claiming the aircraft had a “logbook full of issues,” Wyngx responds with industry context. “Every plane has issues recorded. The question is whether any of them were critical or unfixed against Boeing’s mandatory minimum equipment list,” the narrator explains, emphasising that operational aircraft routinely fly with minor, non-critical defects that do not jeopardise safety.
Claims based on footage of broken inflight entertainment systems and faulty air conditioning were also brushed off as irrelevant. “Even if true, these systems have zero bearing on the aircraft’s core flight functionality,” the video clarifies.
No evidence for missing flaps, bird strike or microburst
The channel also debunks the claim that the aircraft may have taken off without flaps extended. Such an oversight, it states, would trigger numerous cockpit warnings and be caught during pre-flight checks. “For pilots with 8,000 hours of experience, this is almost unimaginable,” the narrator notes.
As for the grainy footage suggesting missing flaps? Wyngx says it’s inconclusive: “Pixelated video cannot determine flap position. Only wreckage analysis will confirm that.”
The bird strike theory, which posits that a flock of birds entered both engines simultaneously, was labeled “too coincidental.” The video points out the absence of visual evidence, such as sparks or smoke, that would typically accompany such an event.
Finally, the microburst idea was also rejected. A microburst, according to the narrator, would cause a sudden drop, not the gradual thrust loss observed in this crash.
‘Let’s not fall victim to conspiracy thinking”
Wyngx ends with a plea for restraint and patience. The black boxes, cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, have already been recovered and an interim report is expected within a month or two. “Until then, everything is just noise,” the narrator says.
Signing off from Chennai Airport, preparing to board another Air India flight himself, the creator reiterates that flying remains one of the safest modes of travel. “I’m not a hypocrite. Flying is still safe. Let’s wait for the facts.”