Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Data From Black Boxes Extracted
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, while the initial data analysis is ongoing, the AAIB, led by its Director General, has already begun examining the Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder information
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2025-06-26 12:30 GMT
New Delhi: A team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), assisted by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), has successfully extracted data from both black boxes of Air India Flight AI 171, which crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), while the initial data analysis is ongoing, the AAIB, led by its Director General, has already begun examining the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) information. The bureau expects to release a preliminary report in approximately two weeks.
“On the evening of June 24, 2025, the DG-led team, supported by AAIB and NTSB technical specialists, commenced data extraction. The Crash Protection Module from the front black box was retrieved intact, and on June 25, the memory module was accessed and its contents downloaded at the AAIB laboratory. Analysis of the CVR and FDR data is now in progress. These efforts aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident, identify contributing factors, and enhance aviation safety to prevent future occurrences. All procedures have been conducted in full compliance with domestic legislation and international obligations,” MoCA officials stated.
Both recorders had been recovered shortly after the crash—one from the rooftop of a nearby building on June 13 and the other from the debris field on June 16. Standard Operating Procedures were issued to ensure their secure handling, storage, and transport, and the devices remained under round-the-clock police protection and CCTV surveillance in Ahmedabad.
On June 24, the black boxes were flown from Ahmedabad to Delhi aboard Indian Air Force aircraft under tight security. “The front black box, accompanied by the DG, AAIB, arrived at the AAIB laboratory in Delhi at 1400 hrs on June 24, 2025. A second AAIB team delivered the rear black box, which reached the lab at 17.15 hrs the same day,” officials added.
As a signatory to the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Chicago Convention, India investigates aircraft accidents in accordance with ICAO protocols. “Following the unfortunate accident of Flight AI 171, the AAIB promptly initiated an investigation on June 13, 2025, convening a multidisciplinary team in line with international standards. Chaired by the DG, AAIB, the team includes an aviation medicine specialist, an air traffic control officer, and NTSB representatives, reflecting the involvement of the state of manufacture and design, as required,” MoCA officials concluded.