Air India Flight Crash: Heavily Damaged Black Box Sent to US for Advanced Data Recovery Efforts

New Delhi: The black box from the tragic crash of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner is on its way to the United States for data recovery, following significant damage sustained in the accident. The flight, which was en route to London from Ahmedabad, went down shortly after takeoff on June 12, resulting in the loss of over 270 lives.

Officials managed to recover both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), which together form the aircraft’s “Black Box”. These devices are crucial for piecing together the events leading up to the crash.

Black Box Severely Damaged

Since both the reactors were severely burnt in the crash, it will be very difficult to extract any data from them. Consequently, Indian aviation authorities have opted to send the recorders to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), located in Washington, USA. The NTSB possesses advanced technology able to salvage information from the damaged devices.

Why Is The Black Box Crucial?

The black box contains essential data regarding the plane’s speed, altitude and engine performance. It also records the cockpit conversation between the pilots and Air Traffic Controller (ATC). This information will be essential in finding out why the aircraft failed so rapidly after takeoff.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the investigation, with assistance from both the U.S. and U.K., given that British citizens were also among the victims.

Experts estimate that it may take several weeks to recover the data and start the analysis, due to the extensive damage caused during the crash. A comprehensive investigation report could take months to finalize but initial findings are expected soon.

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