Investigators Unravel Secrets of AI-171 Crash: Black Box Data Analyzed

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) along with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has embarked on analyzing black box data from the crash of AI-171 in Ahmedabad, which resulted in 241 fatalities. The Ministry of Civil Aviation reported successful data retrieval from the memory module at the AAIB Lab.

This rigorous investigation aims to piece together the sequence of events that led to the disaster and identify contributing factors to improve aviation safety. As India adheres to the ICAO Chicago Convention (1944), the AAIB is tasked with overseeing such investigations and follows ICAO Annexe 13 protocols.

Following the Air India Flight AI-171 tragedy, the AAIB quickly initiated a probe, forming a multidisciplinary team in compliance with international protocols on June 13. This team, led by the DG AAIB, includes experts such as an aviation medicine specialist and an ATC officer, with participation from the NTSB, the U.S. agency from the aircraft's country of origin.

The recovery of the Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVR) and Flight Data Recorders (FDR) took place between June 13 and June 16, 2025. Items were retrieved safely from the site, subjected to strict security measures, and transported under armed escort to Delhi's AAIB Lab, where data extraction began on June 24.

Under 24/7 surveillance, the black boxes were carefully analysed by the AAIB and NTSB teams. The extraction process, which was conducted with protocol precision, successfully accessed the data on June 25. The ongoing analysis, completed in accordance with national and international guidelines, aims to dissect flight and voice recordings for clues to avert similar future incidents.

(With inputs from agencies.)