AAIB Advances with In-Country Black Box Decoding After Fatal Ahmedabad Crash

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has made strides in its investigation of the AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad, which tragically claimed over 250 lives. Sources have confirmed that a preliminary report has been submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and other pertinent authorities, based on initial findings.

On June 25, 2025, critical data was successfully extracted from the Crash Protection Module of the aircraft's black box at the AAIB Lab in Delhi. An identical "golden chassis" was instrumental in verifying the accuracy of the retrieved data. The investigation, led by AAIB, also involves experts from the Indian Air Force, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, and the United States' National Transportation Safety Board.

Director General of AAIB is overseeing the comprehensive investigation, which includes aviation medicine and Air Traffic Control experts. This incident underscores a pivotal development as India now possesses the in-country capability to decode both Cockpit Voice Recorders and Flight Data Recorders, previously reliant on international facilities. This advancement reduces dependency on overseas labs, benefiting rapid and thorough analysis of aviation incidents.

(With inputs from agencies.)