Black Box Analysis Begins in Air India Crash Probe
The Indian government has begun the crucial process of analyzing data from the black boxes of Air India Flight AI-171, which crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 241 people onboard and 29 on the ground.
Investigation Underway to Reconstruct Events
According to the Civil Aviation Ministry, a multidisciplinary investigation team led by the Director General of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is reconstructing the sequence of events. Both the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) are being examined.
On June 24, a team from the AAIB and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) began extracting data from the black boxes. The Crash Protection Module of the front box was retrieved and decoded by June 25 at the AAIB Lab in Delhi.
Timeline of Black Box Recovery
- June 13: First black box recovered from a rooftop.
- June 16: Second black box recovered from debris.
- June 24: Transported to Delhi by Indian Air Force.
- June 25: Data extracted at AAIB Lab.
Multinational Collaboration
The investigation team includes aviation medicine experts, ATC officers, and representatives from NTSB. Since the aircraft was a U.S.-built Boeing 787 Dreamliner, their participation complies with international aviation investigation protocols.
About the Crash
Air India flight AI-171 was headed to London with 242 passengers and crew. The plane crashed into a medical complex shortly after takeoff. Only one passenger survived the disaster.
Officials hope that analyzing the black box data will uncover potential technical malfunctions, human errors, or environmental conditions that led to the crash.
What Happens Next?
Experts will closely review voice recordings and flight data. The final report is expected to shape future aviation safety measures and improve response protocols.
Key Takeaways
- Focus is on reconstructing the crash sequence.
- AAIB and NTSB are jointly handling the investigation.
- CVR and FDR analysis expected to reveal critical insights.
