Crashed Air India plane's black box likely to be sent to US for data recovery

A week after the deadly AI171 plane crash in Ahmedabad, India is likely to send the black box of the Air India Boeing 787 aircraft to the US for data recovery, reports suggest. 

With temperatures reaching over 1000°C following the plane crash and subsequent blaze, the black box is said to have suffered some damage, making it difficult to retrieve data from it, as per reports.

To retrieve the data, the government is likely to send the black box to Washington, DC.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will reportedly examine the data after recovery.

An Indian delegation will also accompany the black box to oversee the entire investigation process and ensure all protocols are followed.

On June 13, the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), commonly known as a black box, was recovered. The data is expected to offer critical insights into the aircraft’s final minutes.

The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), which captures audio from inside the cockpit, has also been retrieved. Meanwhile, Boeing is coordinating with Indian authorities while referring to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, as per international protocol.

What is a black box?

A black box is basically a ‘recorder’ planted inside the flight for the purpose of facilitating the investigation of aviation accidents and incidents.

The electronic device may be a bright orange-coloured box that is recovered after plane accidents, offering crucial information about the last moments before the mishap.

It is primarily made of titanium and enclosed in a titanium box that can survive a severe crash involving fire. Inside the box are two separate devices: the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), which means it not only offers the data of the technical functioning of the aircraft during the flight, it also registers the conversations that may have taken place between pilot and co-pilots, and their communication with the ATC. 

However, the plane crash in Ahmedabad was so severe—with temperatures reaching nearly 1000°C—that even the fireproof black box sustained damage.

The Air India flight, which had taken off from Ahmedabad Airport en route to London, crashed into B J Medical College boys’ hostel with a massive explosion at 1.40 pm on June 12. Of the 242 passengers onboard, 241 along with crew members perished, bringing the total death toll to 270. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also among the passengers.