Air India crash breakthrough as ‘black box’ data successfully downloaded | World | News
Information from the black boxes on board the doomed Air India flight that crashed on June 12 has been successfully recovered and downloaded. A flight data recorder (FDR) and a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were retrieved on June 25, several days following the AI171 flight’s crash.
One was found on the rooftop of the hostel into which the plane crashed and the other from the wreckage of the fuselage. However, they were damaged in the crash and there were doubts over whether the data could be retrieved and used in the inquiry into the air disaster.
In a huge breakthrough, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said it had successfully extracted the Crash Protection Module (CPM), as well as the memory module.
This should help investigators determine the cause of the crash that killed at least 274 people – 240 on board the plane and bystanders near the place of impact.
Both boxes were securely transported to the AAIB lab in Delhi on Tuesday, according to India’s government, and all data had been downloaded by Wednesday.
CVR data should shed light on cockpit conversations and crew responses, while the FDR contains vital information on altitude, airspeed, flight control inputs and engine performance.
“Analysis of CVR and FDR data underway. These efforts aim to reconstruct sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety,” the government said.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plummeted to the ground just 36 seconds into its flight to London Gatwick. The crew were able to issue a desperate mayday call, before disaster struck.
Prior to the crash, Captain Sabharwal complained of losing power and thrust, suggesting possible engine failure.
As yet, the cause of the accident is still unknown. However, footage of the crash suggests the plane had deployed its Ram Air Turbine, leading experts to believe that the Boeing suffered a dual engine malfunction or a system-wide hydraulic or electronic failure.
Air India has said the plane had regular safety checks and that its right engine was replaced less than four months earlier, while the left one had been inspected in April.
A parliamentary committee is expected to convene next week to discuss safety issues in the civil aviation sector, including aircraft maintenance concerns.
Sources told the Indian media channel NDTV that government officials, airline reps, and Boeing executives have been summoned to give evidence.
