Air India plane crash: What will happen next after 'black box' found in Ahmedabad? Know full details

In the wake of the tragic Air India Dreamliner crash in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, where flight AI 171 went down shortly after takeoff, a breakthrough has been confirmed- the aircraft's black box has been recovered from the rooftop of a medical college hostel in Meghani Nagar. According to Nitin Jadhav, National President of the Council of Indian Aviation, the black box data is expected to offer crucial insights into the cause of the accident.

What is a 'Black Box'?

Modern aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are equipped with two critical components commonly referred to as the black box-

1. CVR (Cockpit Voice Recorder) – This device captures all conversations and audible cockpit sounds from the moment pilots board the aircraft until the incident occurs. It can reveal what decisions were made, what problems the pilots encountered, and how they communicated with one another.
2. DFDR (Digital Flight Data Recorder) – This logs technical, mechanical, and electrical parameters during the flight, helping investigators determine if any system malfunctioned or if there were anomalies in engine performance or aircraft control.

When will the report be ready?

If the investigation is conducted in India, the black box analysis could take between 2 to 4 days. However, if Boeing or the engine manufacturer, General Electric (GE)—headquartered in Seattle, USA- joins the probe, the process may take 10 to 15 days.

Know more about 'Black Box'-

• Black box is a small machine that records information about an aircraft during its flight. 
• Despite its name, the black box is typically a bright orange or yellow rectangular box to aid in recovery after a crash.
• It is a crucial flight recording device installed in aircraft that captures essential data during a flight. 
• Invented by Australian scientist David Ronald de Mey Warren, black box is useful in revealing the cause of an aeroplane crash. 
• The black box has two recorders, a cockpit voice recorder for pilot voices and cockpit sounds, and a separate flight data recorder.
• The black box is made of strong substances such as steel or titanium and is insulated from factors such as extreme heat and cold. 
• It is purposely placed towards the tail end of the aircraft, where the impact of a crash is usually the least.

Possible causes being examined

Nitin Jadhav ruled out pilot error at this stage and highlighted a few potential technical scenarios-

• Overloading and Load Shift: The aircraft may have been overloaded, causing a failure in the locking mechanism. A shift in cargo towards the rear could have put stress on the engines during takeoff.
• Fuel Issues: Both engines failing simultaneously could point to a fuel-related problem—either insufficient fuel reaching the engines or fuel contamination.
• Elevator Malfunction: A failure in the tail section’s elevator—a key component responsible for pitch control—during takeoff could have rendered the aircraft uncontrollable.

Jadhav also pointed out the growing concern around shorter runways, suggesting that a longer takeoff roll might have helped in certain emergency scenarios.

Was there any sabotage?

The possibility of foul play is not being ruled out entirely. While GPS systems and other digital avionics can be jammed or locked externally, aircraft engines themselves cannot be remotely shut down, Jadhav clarified. Even in the event of a system lockout, the aircraft should still be capable of executing a safe emergency landing.

Bird strike ruled out

Jadhav firmly dismissed the theory of a bird strike. He explained that birds typically do not fly at the low altitudes involved during the early moments of this crash. Additionally, no visual evidence from any available videos or eyewitnesses supports such an event. Modern aircraft engines undergo rigorous bird-strike simulations during testing, which also makes this scenario unlikely.

Conclusion

The aircraft had just completed a flight before the accident, which may help investigators isolate the issue. Based on preliminary assessments, technical faults linked to overloading, fuel systems, or elevator failure are among the most plausible causes. With the recovery of the black box, aviation experts and investigative authorities are hopeful that the true cause will soon come to light.

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