3 hours Ago
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London, crashed less than a minute after departing Ahmedabad airport on 12 June. The crash killed more than 270 people, one of the deadliest aviation disasters in the country in recent years.
Flight recorders found and under investigation
The crash recorders, which were the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFR) or "black boxes", were recovered from the wreckage on June 13 and 16. One was found on a roof, the other in the rubble. Flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders are among the devices that contain vital information about a flight.
The aircraft's model in particular has two sets of recorders to provide a complete post-crash analysis. The FDR records specific data including gear or flap positions, engine parameters, power settings and fuel flow. It can also track activations of the emergency handle. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) records audio from the cockpit, including radio, intercom or ATC and environmental sounds.
Investigation Progress and Future Steps
A team, headed by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), had accessed the data on Wednesday with technical support. Officials said it is continuing to analyze the CVR and FDR to piece together the last moments of the flight and determine what caused the crash. The aim is to improve air safety and reduce the likelihood of accidents.
The nearly two-week lag before data about the flight was retrieved and analyzed has prompted comments from aviation experts, some of whom find the wait unusual. Yet, working together on that process has been characterised as relatively smooth.
The plane, carrying Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kundar, had taken off at 13:39 local time but sent a mayday signal moments later. Air India Flight 171 had been in the air for less than 40 seconds before it slammed into a crowded area of Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the 242 people on board.
