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Air India Plane Crash Ahmedabad: More than just a recorder, the black box preserves the last words, warning alarms, and flight path data from inside a crashing aircraft
Air India Flight 171 crashed near Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 241 people. (Photo: News18)
Air India Plane Crash Ahmedabad: On the afternoon of June 12, 2025, a London-bound Air India Dreamliner, Flight AI-171, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The Boeing 787-8, carrying 242 people, went down in the city’s Meghani Nagar area, slamming into the mess area of a medical college hostel. Of the 242 on board, 241 were killed; only one person survived. Another 24 people on the ground also lost their lives, taking the total death toll to 265. The crash triggered a massive fire and large-scale emergency response.
Ahmedabad Plane Crash LIVE Updates
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the Boeing 787 aircraft took off from Runway 23 at 1:39 PM IST, and issued a MAYDAY call moments later. However, the aircraft failed to respond to further calls from Air Traffic Control (ATC) and crashed outside the airport perimeter. Thick black smoke was seen rising from the site. The flight was being commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar. The total onboard included 2 pilots, 10 cabin crew, and passengers en route to London Gatwick.
While rescue teams continue to search for survivors, the investigation now hinges on one critical component: the aircraft’s black box.
What Is A Black Box?
Contrary to its name, a black box is actually a bright orange, crash-resistant device designed to survive extreme impact and fire. Every commercial aircraft carries two such recorders:
- The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) logs technical data such as altitude, speed, engine thrust, and flight path.
- The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) captures cockpit audio, including pilot conversations, radio transmissions, warning alarms, and ambient mechanical sounds.
These recorders are housed in reinforced casings and are built to withstand explosions, fire, water pressure, and high-speed crashes.
Why It’s Crucial After A Crash
The black box provides a second-by-second reconstruction of what happened inside the cockpit and across the aircraft systems before the crash. In the Ahmedabad case, it could confirm whether there was:
- A mechanical failure or engine malfunction
- Bird strike or mid-air obstruction
- Fire or explosion on board
- Human error or delayed response
The recordings will also show whether pilots issued a mayday call, attempted recovery manoeuvres, or received any automated warnings.
What Happens Now That The Black Box Has Been Found?
Now that the black box of Air India Flight AI-171 has been recovered, it will be sent to a forensic lab operated either by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) or the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
At the lab, investigators will:
- Extract and decode data from memory modules
- Synchronise cockpit voice recordings with flight data
- Correlate this information with radar logs and Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications
The goal is to reconstruct the aircraft’s final moments with maximum accuracy. Depending on the condition of the recorders and the complexity of the crash, this process may take anywhere from several days to a few weeks.
Why It’s Been Key In Past Crashes
Globally, black box data has played a decisive role in solving major aviation disasters—from the Germanwings crash in 2015 to the Malaysia Airlines incidents. In India, the 2020 Kozhikode crash investigation relied heavily on these recordings to establish pilot decisions and runway conditions during landing.
In many cases, the black box provides the only definitive account of what happened, especially when there are no survivors or when physical evidence is inconclusive.
The Bottom Line
While visuals from the crash site and eyewitness accounts may offer limited clues, it is ultimately the black box that holds the clearest answers. In the days ahead, the analysis of these recorders will be central to understanding what led to one of India’s most serious aviation tragedies in recent years.
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar…Read More
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar… Read More
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