A critical breakthrough in the investigation of the Air India Boeing 787-8 crash near Ahmedabad last month has been achieved with the aid of a "Golden Chassis" from the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). This vital piece of equipment enabled the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to successfully download 49 hours of flight data, including the event flight and two hours of audio, from the forward black box of the ill-fated aircraft.

The Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft, which crashed on June 12, 2025, was equipped with two Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs), commonly known as black boxes. One was located in the tail section, and the other in the forward section of the aircraft. Both EAFRs are designed to store cockpit voice information and digital flight data, crucial for understanding the circumstances leading to an accident. The accident resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and the loss of 260 lives.

Following the crash, the AAIB retrieved both black boxes and transported them to Delhi on June 24, 2025. However, the aft EAFR was found to be substantially damaged, making conventional data retrieval impossible. The forward EAFR's Crash Protection Module (CPM) was found to be in good condition.

To access the data, the AAIB utilized a "Golden Chassis" sourced from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). A Golden Chassis is essentially an identical EAFR unit with download cables that are used to retrieve data from damaged flight recorders. The CPM from the forward EAFR was mounted on the Golden Chassis, which allowed investigators to download the raw data.

The downloaded flight data encompassed approximately 49 hours of flight information, including six flights, one of which was the accident flight. The recovered audio was two hours in length and captured the event. The AAIB has conducted an initial analysis of the recorded audio and flight data.

The preliminary report from the AAIB indicated that the aft EAFR was extensively damaged, preventing data download through standard methods. The CPM was opened to inspect the memory card, revealing the extent of the damage.

The successful retrieval of data from the forward black box represents a significant step forward in the investigation. The data and audio recordings will provide valuable insights into the sequence of events and potential causes of the crash.

In addition to the technical aspects of the investigation, the AAIB has appointed a team of experienced professionals to lead the inquiry. Sanjay Kumar Singh has been designated as the Investigator-in-Charge, with Jasbir Singh Larhga serving as the Chief Investigator. The team of Investigators includes Vipin Venu Varakoth, Veeraragavan K, and Vaishnav Vijayakumar, along with experienced pilots, engineers, aviation medicine specialists, and aviation psychologists.

The black box data was recovered with the help of the NTSB kit that arrived 11 days after the crash. Questions have been raised as to why there was a delay in downloading the data from the black box. The two black boxes were brought to Delhi on June 24, though one unit was recovered from the accident site on June 13 and another on June 16.

The AAIB also has a state-of-the-art black box lab, which was inaugurated in April 2025 after an investment of ₹9 crore.