An important development in the Ahmedabad Plane Crash Investigation the Black Box Found from the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed on June 12, 2025, just after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport. The Tragedy’s Data Recovery efforts were advanced when authorities recovered one of two black boxes, which were essential for determining the cause of the tragedy that killed 241 of 242 people on board.
The flight data recorder was discovered on the roof of a dorm at a medical college where the plane crashed during the catastrophe.
Within 28 hours of the crash, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed the recovery, which was a significant step in figuring out what caused Flight AI-171 to crash 11 seconds after taking off and issue a Mayday call. 242 passengers and crew were on board the London-bound flight when it crashed in the Meghaninagar neighborhood of Ahmedabad.
The recovery was announced on social media by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, who described it as “an important step forward in the investigation” that will “significantly aid the enquiry into the incident.” Search efforts are still ongoing for the second Black Box Found, which was found in the front section of the aircraft.
What is a Black Box and what can it tell us about the Ahmedabad plane crash?
Contrary to their name, aircraft Black Boxes are actually bright orange crash-resistant structures made to withstand high water pressure, fire, and impact.
The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) are two of these recorders that are carried on every commercial airplane.
Investigators can reconstruct events second by second thanks to the thousands of data points that modern Boeing 787 aircraft can record per second. When Captain Sumeet Sabharwal made the last-ditch Mayday call, stating that there was “no thrust, losing power, unable to lift,” the FDR will demonstrate exactly what the aircraft’s systems were doing.
Why is the investigation’s second Black Box so crucial?
The missing Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), which documents the human aspect of the tragedy, is just as important as the recovered FDR, which shows what the aircraft did.
All cockpit audio, including radio transmissions, pilot conversations, warning alarms, and mechanical noises that might offer crucial hints regarding crew reactions and decision-making, is captured by the CVR.
Where will the Air India Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner Black Box data be examined?
India’s state-of-the-art Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder Laboratory in Delhi, which opened earlier this year, will examine the Black Box Found recovered from the Air India Boeing 787-8 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. With its accurate DFDR & CVR Analysis, this cutting-edge facility advances the Ahmedabad Crash Probe and strengthens India’s Aviation Lab capabilities.
How long will it take to investigate the Air India crash?
International aviation protocols state that it usually takes 2-4 weeks to extract the first data from the Black Box Found for intact devices. This procedure can now be carried out fully within India thanks to the new Delhi facility, which could shorten the time needed for preliminary results.
Comprehensive analysis, however, requires a lot more time. Final investigation reports usually take 12 to 24 months to complete, although the International Civil Aviation Organization requires preliminary findings to be completed within 30 days. Investigators can use this timeline to compare Black Box data with weather reports, radar logs, witness statements, and maintenance records.
