Investigation of AI-171 crash progressing steadily with AAIB in India
New Delhi: The Union civil aviation ministry on Thursday said the probe into the Air India AI -171 crash, is progressing steadily in India, with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) having started investigations six days ago.
The investigation is being conducted with support from local authorities and agencies, it said in a clarification following reports it was sending black boxes recovered from the accident site to the US.
The ministry said, 'It has been reported in certain media outlets that the CVR/DFDR from the ill-fated AI-171 flight is being sent abroad for retrieval and analysis. The decision regarding the location for decoding the flight recorders will be taken by the AAIB after due assessment of all technical, safety, and security considerations. The Ministry of Civil Aviation urge all stakeholders to refrain from speculation on such sensitive matters and to allow the investigative process to proceed with the seriousness and professionalism it warrants.'
Alongside, in an email to frequent flyers, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said that flight was captained by well- experienced pilots, the aircraft was well-maintained and there was no issue before the flight.
"The aircraft's last major check was conducted June 2023 and the next was scheduled for December 2025. Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025," said Wilson in the email.
The civil aviation ministry said the AAIB has completed the key recovery work of site documentation and evidence collection, and further analysis is underway.
Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner AI-171, crashed minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on 12 June. Over 270 passengers and people on the ground, mostly at BJ Medical College, lost their lives. This was the first crash of a Boeing Dreamliner.
The AAIB recovered the first black box – the combined unit of the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) – from the crash site on 13 June and the second black box on 16 June.
The DFDR records flight parameters and operational data during the flight, while the CVR records radio transmissions and sounds in the cockpit, including pilot's conversation with the ATC and co-pilot, engine noises, stall warnings, landing gear extension and retraction, and other clicks and pops.
In a statement the government said, 'The AAIB investigation is progressing steadily with all necessary support from local authorities and agencies. The decision regarding the location for decoding the flight recorders will be taken by the AAIB after due assessment of all technical, safety, and security considerations.'
In April this year, the AAIB commissioned the 'Black Box Lab', a DFDR & CVR Laboratory at its headquarters in New Delhi. The lab was built with a budget of ₹ 9 crore as per International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards with the latest technology.
The lab has the capability to repair damaged black boxes, retrieve data and conduct analyses of accidents and incidents. This lab also can correlate data from the CVR, radar and FDR.
Before the commissioning of this lab, the AAIB used to send CVR and FDR to the US or France. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd's (HAL) facility and National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru had limited capabilities.
Meanwhile, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu held a meeting with Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran and CEO Campbell Wilson. The minister reviewed Air India's operations on the back of a 15% reduction in widebody operations till mid- July. Air India was urged to ensure ground-level coordination to inform passengers about delays and cancellations.
Over the course of two days, Naidu has also met officials from SpiceJet, Indigo and Akasa to review fleet performance, safety oversight and passenger experience.
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