Crashed Air India's damaged black box to be sent to US for data extraction

NEW DELHI, June 19: The black box of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner which crashed in Ahmedabad soon after takeoff for London last Thursday will be sent to the US for data extraction as the devices inside have been severely damaged in the impact. The aircraft had hit the hostel building of the BJ medical college and crashed in less than a minute of takeoff.

The box containing the two devices - Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) - which is located in the tail section of Boeing 787, was found intact on the roof of the damaged hostel building, which was hit by the plane's tail, on Friday afternoon during search. The tail was seen embedded in the wall after the crash.

While the CVR records and provides all conversations and other voices heard in the cockpit for minimum last two hours (Boeing 787) before a crash, the FDR gives operational details of the plane like what was the thrust at the time, engine power, engine performance, speed, altitude, maintenance issues, pilot error etc. of a much longer period helping in determining the cause of the crash or accident.

If anything adverse is found about the aircraft in terms of mechanical issues the airline may have to ground all the Dreamliners and that may have an impact on operations of the Boeing model worldwide.

The black box is built to withstand any impact and protect the devices inside from fire, water etc.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the accident. The pilot had made a Mayday call, also saying that thrust was not achieved.

It is reported that the AAIB is not equipped to handle damaged records. Therefore, the black box devices will be taken to the US at the National Safety Transport Board (NTSB) laboratory in Washington for retrieval, reading and analysis.

Meanwhile, inspection and maintenance of Air India’s entire fleet of 33 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners is being done. Flight delays and cancellations are taking place because of lack of enough planes for alternative arrangements.

It was the first accident involving Boeing 787 Dreamliners since inception in 2011. The aircraft joined Air India fleet in 2014.

Only one passenger out of 242 people on board survived the crash, while 33 people, including medical students, were killed on the ground in one of India’s worst aviation disasters in decades.

The two types of devices are:

Every Boeing aircraft—and all commercial planes—carry two devices, normally in one unit. Despite their name, the box is actually bright orange to make them easier to locate in case of accident. If the aircraft crashes into water, the black box emits ultrasonic signals to aid recovery.

Flight Data Recorder (FDR): Captures thousands of flight parameters, including altitude, speed, engine performance, and control inputs. Data of last several hours will be intact.
Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR): Records all cockpit audio, including pilot conversations, radio transmissions, alarms, and mechanical sounds and all types of voice.

The black box is crash-resistant, designed to withstand extreme impact, fire, and water pressure. They play a crucial role in aviation accident investigations by helping experts reconstruct the final moments of a flight

The black box in a Boeing aircraft is typically located in the tail section of the plane. This placement increases their chances of survival in a crash, as the tail is often less impacted than the front or wings.