Hard to understand how the flaps would have been raised instead of the landing gear. The flaps are next to the throttle on the pedestal and the landing gear is on the front instrument panel. If the configuration was not correct for takeoff they would have got a warning when they spooled up the engines for takeoff. My understanding is that the Captain was also a Training Captain with over 8000hrs.
The Pilot in charge and his 2IC would have been going to get a message away in the seconds available, probable........., their training could be such that it was automatic. To try and diagnos all that would have been happening in the cockpit at that time, in the 30 seconds that they had available, and looking at the video 30 sec is about it, I take my hat off to them.
Karen is wrong (of course) the message was reported when the crash first happened. The pilot said "Mayday, mayday, no engine power".
It looks like the RAT (Ram Air Turbine) was deployed just after rotation, this is automatic when all electrical and Hydraulic is lost. Complete Vapour lock is being looked at for loss of fuel delivery. It was a very very hot day 40deg+ at the terminal and hotter again on the taxiway, this would give some explanation why both engines went out. Either way, the pilots would have been doing everything to find a solution whilst still at the controls I am sure.
Agree re the RAT being out. I’m not convinced re the vapour lock theory though. Worth looking at, of course, but while it was hot it wasn’t THAT hot. These things routinely operate out of the Middle East where it is significantly hotter. The morning I flew out of Dubai the cockpit OAT was showing 52 degrees and that was at 9 o’clock in the morning! Of course I have no idea of 787 systems but for both engines to lose power at exactly the same instant due to vapour lock seems improbable. I’m leaning towards a total electrical failure for some reason and a resultant winding back of both engines to idle. Whatever happened it seems pilot error can be ruled out. The crew found themselves in a nightmare scenario with no way out.
They recon 55 deg plus on the taxi ways, I know each aeroplane has parameters on fuel tank temps. So Vapour lock is improbable but they are not ruling it out, they look at everything I imagine. Loss of power immediately on climb out is every pilots nightmare, and if you count one, one thousand, two one thousand on the video just after rotation there is seconds to process all that is happening.
The point they would have known that the aircraft was not flying and they are now in a 200 ton stone with no way out through no fault of their own... I cannot imagine. Years ago I knew a RAAF Mustang pilot who was in a fully loaded and armed fighter with wing tanks on, suffered a catastrophic seized Merlin just as the wheels folded. Pushed the stick forward skidded along the rest of the runway, passed the piano keys, through trees and the perimeter fence tore the wings off and across the main road. He calmly alighted the cockpit and started walking back via the hole in the fence past his burning wings and various aeroplane parts, to be greeted by the ambulance driver who had been traveling at a great rate of knots, asked,"My god man are you alright?????!! Not a scratch, he said in a very cavalier manner, I really fu#ked that up he added, lighting his cigarette and kept walking.
In 2019 an ANA 787 had an unexpected duel engine shutdown after landing. There is a theory that it might be related to the TCAM (Thrust Control Malfunction Accomodation) system which is intended to shutdown runaway engines on the ground. Its logic should only activate it on the ground with weight on wheels if it senses the thrust lever is at idle but the engine is not. All you need is a short on one wire to screw up the logic and your done.
