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Air India plane crash: Black box in India, with Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, says minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu
Following media reports that the black box of the Air India flight AI 171 that crashed in Ahmedabad has been sent to the United States for data retrieval and analysis, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu clarified on Tuesday that it is currently in India with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
'It (the black box) is in India. It is all speculation that it has been sent outside. The AAIB is taking care of it according to the rules and procedures. The panel is already in, the investigation started from day one,' Naidu said, speaking to the media at the 7th Helicopter and Small Aircraft Summit in Pune.
Asked when the data retrieval from the black box was expected, Naidu said, 'This is a very technical matter. The AAIB is doing it, so let them. I do not want to put any pressure…Let them go through the whole process. They are in charge of the investigation.'
Previously, the aviation ministry had said in a statement, '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 London-bound Air India flight with 242 people on board crashed into a medical hostel complex in Meghaninagar on June 12, moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 on board and several on the ground.
The AI171 aircraft was equipped with two black boxes—the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the digital flight data recorder (DFDR). The CVR records radio transmissions and sounds in the cockpit, like conversations between the pilots and engine noises. The DFDR records over 80 different types of information, such as altitude, airspeed, flight heading, autopilot status, etc.
Black boxes are stored inside a unit generally made of strong materials like steel or titanium to keep them safe during crashes.
Soham is a Correspondent with the Indian Express in Pune.
A journalism graduate, he was a fact-checker before joining the Express. Soham currently covers education and is also interested in civic issues, health, human rights, and politics. ... Read More
