Part 3/9:
The Takeoff: An Initial Success
At approximately 2:45 PM, the plane lined up on the runway with rain reducing visibility. However, the takeoff progressed smoothly as the captain applied maximum thrust. For the first few seconds, everything seemed normal — but that would soon change. During this critical phase, the first officer, who was primarily responsible for coordinating communications and clearing the aircraft for ascent, was preparing to retract the flaps as per the standard procedure.
However, this particular flight was proceeding under unusually high power due to the anticipated weather challenges, and this deviation from routine caught the crew off guard.