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Indian Express
19-07-2025
- Indian Express
AI crash: Probe looks for vital clues of electric malfunction in tail wreckage
INVESTIGATORS probing the June 12 Air India AI-171 disaster are closely examining the Boeing Dreamliner wreckage which hold 'vital clues' to what could have gone wrong in the 26 seconds the flight was airborne after lift-off from Runway 23 of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. Officials aware of the probe said the wreckage of the empennage or tail assembly of the aircraft showed signs of a 'contained electric fire' but restricted to only a few components located in the rear. The tail had disengaged and remained largely unaffected by the post-crash explosion and fuel fire which had charred the rest of the aircraft body. The officials said components located in the tail have been identified and safely stored at a location in Ahmedabad. 'They hold the key for a detailed analysis of a possible malfunction in the electric supply of the aircraft during lift off,' an official told The Indian Express. The aft Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFR) or the rear black box found from the rooftop of the BJ Medical College hostel mess building on June 13 had suffered extensive internal thermal damage, the officials said. The July 12 preliminary report of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, an office under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, pointed to this and said data from this 'could not be downloaded through conventional means'. When it was opened to inspect the memory card, the 'damage was extensive'. In contrast, the forward EAFR or the front black box, was found 'burnt and covered in soot' from the charred wreckage debris on June 16, and the AAIB was able to retrieve data from this, the report said. According to the officials, both the black boxes are housed inside robust, anti-corrosion material casing to withstand high temperatures or impact. While the rear black box relies on the aircraft's main electrical system for power, the front black box has an independent battery to ensure it continues recording even in case of power shut down. Flight data downloaded from the front black box contained 'approximately 49 hours of flight data and 6 flights, including the event flight', the preliminary report said. The audio recovered from this, including the crash event, was two hours long. The officials said the aircraft's tail suffered the expected crash impact when it made contact with the hostel mess building. But this was not the rare kind of damage where the aft EAFR (rear black box) should have been damaged beyond salvage, they said. 'It needs to be probed if the electric fire in the tail was due to a fault that originated in one of the flight components when it began rolling for take-off, or was it purely a fire following the impact… The fire was contained in the tail section, which, despite being embedded in Building A (hostel mess), did not spread to the structure or its electrical framework,' the official said. Besides the rear black box, the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) located in the tail as well as the transducers and rudders of the plane are being examined, the officials said. The investigators have recovered the APU from its compartment in an 'intact condition', the preliminary report had said. It is critical to investigate the electrical fire, especially since the crew of the previous flight AI-423 from Delhi to Ahmedabad had logged a Pilot Defect Report for a status message 'STAB POS XDCR' (Stabilizer Position Transducer – a sensor located in the tail) in the technical log. This was troubleshooted by the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer in Ahmedabad before clearing the flight for AI-171 at 12.15 pm on June 12. 'Any malfunction of the electrical system that originated before the flight became airborne could have led to disruption of interconnected flight sensors and, in a cascading effect, triggered incorrect data to the ECU (Engine Control Unit) of the flight to cut off fuel supply… The APU also made an auto logic start after fuel supply transitioned back to 'Run' from 'Cut-off', which indicates it had been on during the take-off to have more thrust during take-off on a hot day in Ahmedabad…,' the official said. ahmedabad plane crash, Air India 171 crash, Air India flight crash, Air India crash, air india, plane crash, plane crash ahmedabad, air india crash, air india plane crash, ahmedabad, air india flight crash, plane crash in ahmedabad, plane crash news, ahmedabad flight crash, ahmedabad news, ahmedabad plane crash, air india news, plane crash, air india flight, flight crash, ai171, air india crash, latest news, ahmedabad flight, ahmedabad to london flight, air india ahmedabad, air india share price, air india plane, ahemdabad plane crash, airindia, gujarat plane crash, meghaninagar, airplane crash, flight crash news It is 'pertinent' that the rear black box, along with the Stabilizer Position Transducer, is located in the tail, along with the APU. 'When the aircraft is on the ground, APU batteries start the APU generators. The APU generator powers the two generators on each of the two engines to start the engines. Once in flight, APU's two generators are secondary power for the flight or used for in-cabin power,' the official said. Recalling that APU malfunctions had led to a brief grounding of the 787 series Dreamliner fleet in 2013, the officials said, the fleet was pressed back into service when the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) approved the new design of APU battery. 'The component is among the significant parts being examined now. This aircraft was pressed into service the same year after the FAA approved the new design,' the official said. The testimony of the lone survivor Viswashkumar Ramesh about 'flickering cabin lights' also supports the possibility of electric malfunction, with systems switching between the main power, back-up generator, and attempted relight of systems within a few seconds, the officials said. On July 17, The Indian Express had reported that the investigators were examining the history of technical snags and the possibility of system malfunction that can impact the FADEC's (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) Engine Control Unit (the brain of the aircraft) to trigger 'uncommanded' actions. 'Both engines of the flight were starved of fuel within seconds of being airborne and quickly began to decelerate… The electrical signal of transition to fuel cut-off mode, recorded in the flight data, is at the centre of the probe, which is why FADEC actions are crucial. By design, FADEC reacts to cascading malfunction in data input by triggering fuel cut off to protect engines in compromised system conditions,' the official said. The state of the body of the flight attendant found 72 hours from the BJ Medical College building after the crash in the crew deck area of the rear fuselage also points to the cause of her death. 'It was not caused by the explosion and fire like the other passengers whose bodies were charred beyond recognition. She did have some burns, which were from the fire from the aircraft's electrical system that was brought under control when the fire-tenders arrived. But she was identified through her clothes…,' he said. An official of the Gujarat government, who was involved in the post-crash response, told this newspaper that the body was found in a highly decomposed state with post-mortem burn injuries. 'The flight attendant in the rear of the plane likely died due to impact injuries. She would have been seated in the brace position and was partially affected by the fire in that section. Her body was highly decomposed due to lapse of time and the extinguishing agents used to put out the fire after the crash. Fragments of her uniform saree, made of a synthetic blend, were visible for identification.'
News18
13-07-2025
- News18
Air India Crash: How US Golden Chassis Helped Recover 49-Hour Flight Data, 2-Hour Audio
Last Updated: The Air India-171 crash report was released on Saturday, revealing the cause of the crash on June 12. A Golden Chassis from the United States played a key role in downloading 49 hours of flight data from one of the black boxes of the ill-fated Air India-171 plane, which crashed on June 12, killing all but one on board. After the crash in Ahmedabad, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) retrieved two black boxes and brought them to New Delhi on June 24 for decoding purposes. Usually, to get data from damaged flight recorders, investigators borrow a 'Golden Chassis" and the needed download cables from other agencies that handle air crash investigations. In the ongoing investigation, AAIB said on Saturday that the Golden Chassis, or the identical EAFR unit, and download cables, which were needed to download data from Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs) were sourced from the US National Transport Safety Board (NTSB). The data download from the front EAFR was tried at the AAIB Lab in the national capital on June 24. The Crash Protection Module (CPM) was taken out of the forward EAFR and was found to be in good condition. 'The CPM was mounted on the Golden Chassis, and the raw data was downloaded from the EAFR. The downloaded flight data contained approximately 49 hours of flight data and 6 flights, including the event flight. The recovered audio was two hours in length and captured the event. Initial Analysis of the recorded audio and flight data has been done," AAIB said in its preliminary probe report released yesterday. The report said that the aft EAFR was significantly damaged and could not be downloaded using conventional methods. The CPM was opened to check out the memory card, which suffered extensive damage. Meanwhile, Sanjay Kumar Singh has been named the Investigator-in-Charge, and Jasbir Singh Larhga is the Chief Investigator. Vipin Venu Varakoth, Veeraragavan K, and Vaishnav Vijayakumar are part of the investigation team. To support the investigation, experts in flying, aircraft engineering, aviation medicine, aviation psychology, and flight recorder analysis have also been brought in. (With PTI inputs) view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- The Hindu
Air India Ahmedabad plane crash: U.S. Golden Chassis helped AAIB download raw data from black box
A Golden Chassis from the United States helped download 49 hours of flight data from one of the black boxes of Air India's ill-fated Boeing 787-8 aircraft that crashed last month. After the fatal accident that destroyed the aircraft and killed 260 people on June 12, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) retrieved the two black boxes or Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs) and brought them to the national capital on June 24. Generally, data from damaged flight recorders is downloaded after sourcing Golden Chassis and relevant download cables from other accident investigation authorities. In the current investigation, AAIB on Saturday (July 12, 2025) said the Golden Chassis or the identical EAFR unit and download cables required to download data from EAFR were sourced from the U.S. National Transport Safety Board (NTSB). The download from the FWD EAFR was attempted at the AAIB Lab in the national capital on June 24 and the Crash Protection Module (CPM) was retrieved from the forward EAFR and found to be in good condition. "The CPM was mounted on the Golden Chassis and the raw data was downloaded from the EAFR. The downloaded flight data contained approximately 49 hours of flight data and 6 flights, including the event flight. "The recovered audio was two hours in length and captured the event. Initial Analysis of the recorded audio and flight data has been done," AAIB said in its preliminary probe report on the plane accident. According to the report, the aft EAFR was substantially damaged and could not be downloaded through conventional means. The CPM was opened to inspect the memory card. The damage was extensive, it added. Meanwhile, Sanjay Kumar Singh has been appointed as the Investigator-in-Charge, while Jasbir Singh Larhga is the Chief Investigator. Vipin Venu Varakoth, Veeraragavan K and Vaishnav Vijayakumar are the Investigators. Experienced pilots, engineers, aviation medicine specialists, aviation psychologists and flight recorder specialists have been taken on board as subject matter experts to assist in the probe.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Time of India
AI plane crash: US Golden Chassis helped AAIB download raw data from black box
NEW DELHI: A Golden Chassis from the United States helped download 49 hours of flight data from one of the black boxes of Air India's ill-fated Boeing 787-8 aircraft that crashed last month. After the fatal accident that destroyed the aircraft and killed 260 people on June 12, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) retrieved the two black boxes or Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs) and brought them to the national capital on June 24. Generally, data from damaged flight recorders is downloaded after sourcing Golden Chassis and relevant download cables from other accident investigation authorities. In the current investigation, AAIB on Saturday said the Golden Chassis or the identical EAFR unit and download cables required to download data from EAFR were sourced from the US National Transport Safety Board (NTSB). The download from the FWD EAFR was attempted at the AAIB Lab in the national capital on June 24 and the Crash Protection Module (CPM) was retrieved from the forward EAFR and found to be in good condition. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Avail NRI Banking Solutions HSBC Undo "The CPM was mounted on the Golden Chassis and the raw data was downloaded from the EAFR. The downloaded flight data contained approximately 49 hours of flight data and 6 flights, including the event flight. "The recovered audio was two hours in length and captured the event. Initial Analysis of the recorded audio and flight data has been done," AAIB said in its preliminary probe report on the plane accident. According to the report, the aft EAFR was substantially damaged and could not be downloaded through conventional means. The CPM was opened to inspect the memory card. The damage was extensive, it added. Meanwhile, Sanjay Kumar Singh has been appointed as the Investigator-in-Charge, while Jasbir Singh Larhga is the Chief Investigator. Vipin Venu Varakoth, Veeraragavan K and Vaishnav Vijayakumar are the Investigators. Experienced pilots, engineers, aviation medicine specialists, aviation psychologists and flight recorder specialists have been taken on board as subject matter experts to assist in the probe.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Time of India
Decoded black box from Air India 171 crash exposes cockpit chaos, but pilots' union says ‘we strongly object to this line....'
The preliminary investigation into the Air India Boeing 787 crash has brought renewed attention to the role of Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs), commonly referred to as 'black boxes.' These critical devices have helped shed light on the crash sequence, even as concerns are being raised over how the probe is being conducted. What the black boxes recorded The black boxes recovered from the crash site recorded both flight data and cockpit audio. One of the devices was found on June 13, a day after the crash, heavily damaged and lying atop a building. It showed signs of impact and heat damage, with burnt connectors and exposed wires. The second recorder was recovered three days later near another building, still attached to its equipment shelf. Both devices were transferred to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) lab in Delhi on June 24. Using an identical EAFR unit known as a 'Golden Chassis' and download cables provided by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), investigators were able to retrieve the stored data. According to the AAIB, the black boxes contained about 49 hours of flight data covering six flights, including the crash. The cockpit voice recorder had captured two hours of audio, including the final moments of the doomed flight. ALPA India reacts to the investigation process Following the release of the preliminary report, the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) voiced its concerns about how the investigation is being handled. In a public statement, ALPA's president Captain Sam Thomas said the union was 'surprised at the secrecy surrounding these investigations' and alleged that 'suitably qualified personnel were not taken on board for the probe.' The union criticised what it described as a premature presumption of pilot error. 'We feel that the investigation is being driven in a direction presuming the guilt of pilots, and we strongly object to this line of thought,' the statement read. ALPA India also called on the authorities to allow the union to join the investigation process, even if only in the role of observers, to help ensure greater transparency. Audio snippet from the cockpit adds to confusion A key moment from the cockpit voice recording was highlighted in the preliminary report. Just seconds after take-off, one pilot is heard asking the other, 'Why did you do the cut off?'—referring to the transition of both engine fuel switches from RUN to CUTOFF, which led to fuel starvation. The second pilot replied, 'I didn't.' The report does not clarify which of the two pilots made each statement. This uncertainty, coupled with the union's claims, has further complicated the public perception of the investigation's fairness. Final words As the investigation moves forward, the role of flight data, cockpit audio, and transparent processes will remain crucial in identifying the cause of the crash. While the black boxes have revealed significant details, questions about the accountability process and participation of stakeholders like ALPA India continue to be raised.
