From impact to investigation: Key events since AI 171 crash

Mint

4 days ago

New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) As the preliminary report into one of the country's worst aircraft accidents has been released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), here is a brief look at the related happenings since June 12.
* Air India's nearly 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft, VT-ANB, enroute to London Gatwick crashed soon after take off into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad on June 12.
* There were 242 people, including 12 crew members, on board the ill-fated plane. While only one passenger survived, many died on the ground as well due to the crash. The tragic incident claimed a total of 260 lives.
* The lone survivor, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh (45) was seated in '11A' -- the window seat near one of the emergency exit doors.
* The Ahmedabad crash is the first time that Boeing's best-selling 787 plane suffered a fatal accident resulting in hull loss.
* On June 13, AAIB initiated an investigation and set up a multi-disciplinary team.
* A high-level multi-disciplinary committee, headed by the Union home secretary, to examine the causes that led to the crash and to also suggest comprehensive guidelines to prevent such incidents in the future set up on June 13.
* Any theory going around the plane crash will be analysed, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on June 14.
* Both the Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVRs) and Flight Data Recorders (FDRs) were recovered -- one from a rooftop of the building at the crash site on June 13 and the other from the debris on June 16.
* The black boxes were brought from Ahmedabad to Delhi by IAF aircraft with full security on June 24.
* The front black box arrived AAIB Lab, Delhi with the DG, AAIB at 1400 hours on June 24.
* The rear black box was brought by a second AAIB team and reached AAIB Lab, Delhi at 1715 hours on June 24.
* Data extraction process for the black boxes began on June 24.
* On June 25, the Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved; the memory module was successfully accessed and its data downloaded.
* Observer status has been accorded to the UN body International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO's) expert in the ongoing probe.
* Air India is observing 'Safety Pause', the deliberate temporary scale-back of its international and domestic networks.
* The airline has reduced 38 services per week on international routes besides suspension of services on 3 overseas routes operated with wide-body planes. It has cut services on 19 domestic routes and suspended 3 international services operated by its narrow-body fleet till at least mid-July.
* "The 'pause' was an important and necessary move to accommodate voluntary additional aircraft checks, navigate the volatile international airspace environment and to stabilise our flight schedule to restore faith and trust," Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson had said
* A day after the crash, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered enhanced safety inspection of the airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. Air India also decided to carry out enhanced safety checks of its Boeing 777 aircraft fleet Tatas & Air India
* Tata Sons, the parent company of Air India, announced a compensation of ₹ 1 crore to each family of the victims as well as the survivors. In addition, Air India is giving an interim compensation of ₹ 25 lakh.
* Air India deployed a team of trained psychologists to provide trauma counseling and psychological support to the affected families.