India is continuing its investigation into the Air India plane crash. As part of the process, the black box from the crashed Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be sent to the United States for analysis. The device was recovered two days after the crash but was found to be heavily damaged on the outside. Due to the extent of the damage, experts in India were unable to extract any data from it. Therefore, the black box will be sent to the US, where advanced facilities may be able to retrieve the crucial information.
According to The Economic Times report, the data from the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) will be extracted in the Washington-based laboratory of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Later the findings will be shared with India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) who is investigating the Air Crash. It is pertinent to note that under international rules, the state of occurrence has the responsibility of investigating a crash.
“While AAIB had established a laboratory at its headquarters in Delhi last year, it is yet to be properly equipped to extract data from recorders which have sustained heavy damage. The NTSB team will carry them to their lab under protection and supervision from Indian officials to ensure that proper protocols are followed,” a person involved in the process told ET.
UK To Join Investigation
As there were 53 British citizens among those killed, the United Kingdom’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch will also be part of the investigation. The Air India aircraft bound for London from Ahmedabad crashed seconds after it took off, killing 241 people onboard, with just one survivor.
The plane crashed into BJ Medical College in Meghaninagar, resulting in the death of 33 people on the ground on June 12. A black box, which is a key tool in crash investigations, has two parts: the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder. It is painted bright orange to make it easier to locate after a crash. Although it is designed to withstand severe impact, heavy damage to the black box is still common due to the force of the crash or the fire that may follow.
