The investigation into the Air India Flight AI171 crash that occurred on June 12 near Ahmedabad is progressing, with a significant breakthrough achieved in the recovery and analysis of data from the aircraft's black boxes. The Indian government announced on Thursday, June 26, 2025, that data extraction from the front black box has been successfully completed, marking a crucial step towards understanding the sequence of events that led to the tragic accident.
The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, bound for London, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport, resulting in the death of 241 passengers and crew members, as well as 34 people on the ground. The crash site was located near accommodation for medical students at BJ Medical College, underscoring the devastating impact of the incident.
The two black boxes – the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) – are critical components in any air accident investigation. These devices capture vital information about the aircraft's performance and the communication between the pilots, providing valuable insights into the potential causes of the crash. Both black boxes were recovered from the crash site between June 13 and June 16. The first was found on the rooftop of a building at the crash site on June 13, and the second was retrieved from the debris on June 16.
Following their recovery, the black boxes were transported to Delhi under strict security measures, including 24x7 police protection and CCTV surveillance in Ahmedabad, before being flown to Delhi on June 24 for analysis. The data extraction process commenced on the evening of June 24 at the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) lab in Delhi. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and the memory module was successfully accessed, allowing for the download of the data.
The analysis of the data from the CVR and FDR is currently underway. This process involves a thorough examination of the recorded parameters and communications to reconstruct the events leading up to the crash. The AAIB is leading the investigation, with assistance from technical members of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB's involvement is due to the fact that the Boeing 787-8 aircraft was designed and manufactured in the United States.
While some media reports suggested that the black boxes might be sent to the United States for specialist analysis, the Indian government has confirmed that the analysis is being conducted domestically by the AAIB. The government will decide whether to send either of the black boxes abroad for further decoding only after the AAIB has completed a full assessment of technical, safety, and security considerations.
The investigation is being carried out by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) with assistance from the UK, the US and officials from Boeing. Anti-terror squads have also been part of the investigation teams.
In addition to the black box analysis, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is conducting a special audit following the Air India crash. The DGCA stated that the repeated issues pointed to “ineffective monitoring and inadequate rectification action.” This audit aims to identify any systemic lapses in safety protocols and maintenance procedures that may have contributed to the accident. The audit revealed multiple defects had resurfaced "many times", suggesting lapses in oversight. Violations included aircraft maintenance engineers failing to follow safety protocols, ignoring certain faults, and not adhering to prescribed work orders during jet servicing.
