Damaged black box to be sent abroad for data extraction: Reports

The black box recovered from the ill-fated Air India flight AI 171, which tragically crashed in Ahmedabad last week, is likely to be sent to the United States for data recovery. The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) sustained heavy external damage due to the intense post-crash fire, making data extraction in India unfeasible at present. The crucial device will be analyzed at the Washington-based laboratory of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to unravel the mystery behind the devastating accident.

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is leading the probe into the horrific crash, will receive the report from the NTSB's analysis. The process of extracting data from a damaged black box can range from a few days to several months, depending on the extent of the damage. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel building in Ahmedabad within seconds of takeoff, claiming the lives of 274 people, including 241 passengers and crew on board and over two dozen individuals on the ground.

The intensity of the crash and the subsequent fire, which reached temperatures of around 1,000 degrees Celsius, likely contributed to the extensive damage of the black box, despite its design to withstand extreme conditions. The AAIB had recovered both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) two days after the incident. These devices, collectively known as the "black box," are paramount for investigators as they provide critical insights into the moments leading up to the tragedy, including cockpit conversations and flight parameters.

While the precise cause of the crash awaits the black box decoding, an aviation expert has suggested dual engine failure as a possible reason, pointing to the deployment of the ram air turbine (RAT) shortly after takeoff. The full investigation is expected to take several months, with the black box data being a vital component in determining the sequence of events and ultimately the cause of this major aviation disaster.