Ahmedabad Air India plane crash: Black box data accessed

Almost two weeks after an Air India Plane crashed moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad to London on June 12, the government said that it has begun analysing the black box data recovered from the crash site of Air India flight AI171. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has confirmed that investigators have successfully accessed and downloaded the data from one of the black boxes, especially the front black box of the plane.

It is important to remember that the special forensic teams had recovered the Cockpit Voice Recorder, known as CVR and the Flight Data Recorder or FDR, often referred to as black boxes, were recovered from the crash site between June 13 and 16. These were later flown under heavy security to Delhi on June 24.

The investigation is done by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau or AAIB lab in the national capital, Delhi. And now, the memory module from the front black box, which houses the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), was successfully retrieved and its data downloaded on June 25.

The development is considered a crucial step in piecing together the timeline and cause of the crash. It will also help to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident and to identify contributing factors in order to enhance aviation safety and prevent future occurrences.

The AAIB, which is leading the probe, initiated the investigation immediately after the June accident. In line with international aviation norms under the ICAO Convention, a multidisciplinary team has been formed, led by the Director General of AAIB.

The team includes an aviation medicine expert, an Air Traffic Control (ATC) officer, and technical representatives from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as the aircraft was manufactured and designed in the United States.

A black box is a bright orange crash-resistant device designed to survive extreme impact and fire. Every commercial aircraft carries two such recorders housed in reinforced casings built to withstand explosions, fire, water pressure, and high-speed crashes.

A high-level committee constituted by the central government is investigating the Ahmedabad plane crash. The committee is being headed by the home secretary and includes representatives, not below the rank of joint secretary, from the state and the Centre.

The committee will have access to all records, including, among others, flight data, cockpit voice recorders, aircraft maintenance records, ATC Log and witness testimonies. The probe panel will publish its report within three months.

The London-bound aircraft crashed into a B J Medical College’s hostel complex in Meghaninagar moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.39 pm on June 12, killing 275 persons, including 241 on board and 34 on the ground. Only one passenger miraculously survived.