Ahmedabad plane crash: Black Box recovered for Air India Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner; What it can tell us about the tragedy

Time of India

16 hours ago

Authorities have successfully recovered one of two
Black Boxes
from the Air India
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on June 12, killing 241 of 242 people aboard.
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The
flight data recorder
was found on the rooftop of a medical college hostel that the aircraft struck during the tragedy.
The
Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau
(AAIB) confirmed the recovery within 28 hours of the crash, marking a crucial breakthrough in determining what caused Flight AI-171 to issue a
Mayday call
and crash just 11 seconds after becoming airborne. The London-bound flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew when it went down in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar area.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu announced the recovery on social media, calling it "an important step forward in the investigation" that will "significantly aid the enquiry into the incident." The second Black Box, located in the aircraft's front section, remains missing and search operations continue.
What is a Black Box and what can it tell us about the Ahmedabad plane crash
Despite their name, aircraft Black Boxes are actually bright orange crash-resistant devices designed to survive extreme impact, fire, and water pressure.
Every commercial aircraft carries two such recorders: the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the
Cockpit Voice Recorder
(CVR).
The recovered FDR contains thousands of technical parameters including altitude, speed, engine performance, control surface positions, and system warnings. For the Ahmedabad crash investigation, this data will reveal precise details about the aircraft's final moments, including whether the disaster resulted from mechanical failure, engine malfunction, or other factors.
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Modern Boeing 787 aircraft can record thousands of data points per second, providing investigators with a second-by-second reconstruction of events. The FDR will show exactly what the aircraft's systems were doing when Captain Sumeet Sabharwal issued the desperate Mayday call reporting "no thrust, losing power, unable to lift."
Why is the second Black Box so important to the investigation
While the recovered FDR reveals what the aircraft did, the missing Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) is equally crucial as it captures the human element of the tragedy.
The CVR records all cockpit audio including pilot conversations, radio transmissions, warning alarms, and mechanical sounds that could provide vital clues about crew responses and decision-making.
Aviation experts emphasize that finding both Black Boxes is essential for a complete investigation. The FDR shows the aircraft's technical behavior, but only the CVR can reveal whether pilots correctly identified problems, followed emergency procedures, or faced communication breakdowns during the crisis.
The CVR would capture any emergency checklists being executed, crew coordination efforts, or discussions about mechanical problems that preceded the crash. This human context is vital for understanding whether the tragedy resulted from system failures, pilot error, or a combination of factors.
Where will be the Black Box data for Air India Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner be analyzed
The recovered Black Box will likely be analyzed at India's state-of-the-art Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder (DFDR & CVR) Laboratory, which was inaugurated in Delhi earlier this year.
This specialized facility represents a significant advancement in India's aviation investigation capabilities.
The Delhi laboratory enables the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to repair damaged Black Boxes, retrieve data, and conduct thorough analyses of accidents and incidents domestically. Previously, such critical data extraction often required sending Black Boxes to international facilities, causing delays in investigations.
This new facility is equipped with cutting-edge technology to handle even severely damaged recording devices, ensuring that crucial flight data can be recovered and analyzed quickly. The laboratory's capabilities will be particularly valuable for the Ahmedabad crash investigation, as it allows Indian investigators to maintain full control over the sensitive data extraction process.
How long will the Air India crash investigation take
Initial data extraction from the recovered Black Box typically requires 2-4 weeks for intact devices, according to international aviation protocols.
With the new Delhi facility, this process can now be conducted entirely within India, potentially reducing the timeline for preliminary findings.
However, comprehensive analysis takes significantly longer. The International Civil Aviation Organization mandates preliminary findings within 30 days, but final investigation reports typically require 12-24 months to complete. This timeline allows investigators to cross-reference Black Box data with maintenance records, weather conditions, radar logs, and witness statements.
For the Ahmedabad crash, the investigation timeline may be extended as this marks the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft entered commercial service in 2011. US investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board will assist Indian authorities, potentially expediting the technical analysis process.
The complexity of analyzing thousands of data parameters per second, combined with the need to understand how the advanced 787's systems behaved during the emergency, means investigators will need considerable time to provide definitive answers about what caused this devastating aviation tragedy.
Aviation investigation expert Greg Feith notes that while extracting data is relatively quick, "understanding the story it tells takes considerable time" - a process that could provide crucial insights for preventing future disasters.