The 'black box' from Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12 has reportedly sustained damage and may be sent to the United States for further data recovery, sources said. The final decision will rest with the Indian government.
Technically comprising two separate devices — the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) — the black box could be sent to the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) lab in Washington, DC. If approved, a team of Indian officials will accompany the devices to ensure procedural compliance.
Air India Flight AI171 was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport when it crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The aircraft plunged into a hostel complex at BJ Medical College in Meghani Nagar around 1:40 PM, triggering a massive fire. Of the 242 people on board, only one passenger survived.
The black box was recovered 28 hours later. Despite the name, these devices are bright orange to aid in their identification amid wreckage.
The CVR, which records cockpit audio, communications, and alerts, is believed to have a two-hour capacity since the aircraft was delivered in 2014 — prior to the 2021 mandate requiring 25-hour recording.
The FDR, on the other hand, captures key flight metrics such as altitude, airspeed, heading, and control surface data, and is capable of recording thousands of parameters over extended periods.
According to the Aviation Ministry, the aircraft took off at 1:39 PM and failed to climb beyond 600 feet. Just 36 seconds into the flight, a distress signal was received by Ahmedabad air traffic control, followed by radio silence.
Moments later, the plane crashed into buildings near the airport's northeastern boundary. The impact killed 33 civilians on the ground. The lone survivor was seated in 11A.
Authorities are now reconstructing the final moments of the flight. The CVR is expected to clarify the nature of the distress call issued by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal.
It may also reveal cockpit interactions between him and First Officer Clive Kunder — offering insight into their situational awareness and response to alarms.
The FDR will help correlate pilot actions with aircraft performance, aiding experts in visualising the plane’s trajectory, speed, and aerodynamic condition.
The CVR could also provide ambient audio such as alarm tones or structural vibrations that might explain what went wrong.
As the investigation continues, recovering complete data from the damaged recorders will be crucial in establishing the cause of one of India’s deadliest recent aviation disasters.
