New Delhi, June 26 (Northeast Press):
The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday issued a comprehensive update on the investigation into the recent crash of Air India Flight AI-171. Both black boxes—the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR)—have been successfully recovered and are currently under analysis by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the designated agency for probing air accidents in India.
The Ministry confirmed that all procedures related to the investigation are being carried out in strict adherence to global aviation safety standards and domestic regulations. India, as a signatory to the Chicago Convention of 1944, is conducting the investigation in accordance with Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines, alongside the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017.
A multidisciplinary team, formed by the AAIB on June 13, 2025, is spearheading the investigation. The team includes the Director General of AAIB, an aviation medicine expert, an Air Traffic Control officer, and technical representatives from the United States’ National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as required by international norms, given the aircraft’s origin of design and manufacture.
Black Boxes Recovery and Security Measures
The two critical flight recorders were retrieved in separate operations. The first black box was located on a rooftop near the crash site on June 13, while the second was recovered from the aircraft debris on June 16. Both were secured under round-the-clock police surveillance in Ahmedabad and continuously monitored through CCTV to maintain their integrity.
On June 24, the black boxes were transported from Ahmedabad to New Delhi via an Indian Air Force aircraft. The front recorder arrived at the AAIB Laboratory in Delhi at 2:00 PM accompanied by the DG, AAIB. The rear unit followed later at 5:15 PM with a second team from AAIB.
Data Extraction and Analysis Begins
Data extraction from the black boxes commenced on the evening of June 24 at the AAIB Lab. The process is being led by AAIB Director General, with the support of technical specialists from both AAIB and NTSB. As of June 25, the memory module from the front recorder was successfully accessed, and data was retrieved from the Crash Protection Module (CPM).
The analysis of data from both the CVR and FDR is currently underway. Officials noted that this data is essential to reconstruct the events leading up to the crash and to determine the root causes and contributing factors. The ultimate goal of the investigation is to enhance aviation safety and implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Ministry emphasized that every step taken thus far has been in full compliance with national laws and international commitments, and the probe is progressing in a time-bound and transparent manner.
