DVR, Black Box Recovered, DGCA Orders Enhanced Inspection of Air India Boeings

New Delhi: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Friday recovered the Digital Video Recorder (DVR) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) retrieved the “black box” from the wreckage of the ill-fated Gatwick (London) bound Air India flight AI 171 that crashed on Thursday afternoon in Ahmedabad. The black box was found on top of the medical college building where the plane had crashed.

“The Flight Data Recorder (black box) has been recovered within 28 hours from the accident site in Ahmedabad by AAIB. This marks an important step forward in the investigation. This will significantly aid the inquiry into the incident,” civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said.

The search is still underway for the second black box, the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR).

A possible twin-engine failure of the Boeing Dreamliner led to the crash as the pilot gave a call of “MAY DAY, MAY DAY. MAY DAY… No thrust, losing power, unable to lift” to Ahmedabad’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) approximately 30 seconds after the plane took off, indicating a critical loss of engine power.

Teams from the United Kingdom and the United States arrived in Ahmedabad on Friday to investigate Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash along with the AAIB, Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), ATS and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). An NIA team visited the crash site to probe any possible foul play or terror angle. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it is in contact with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regarding the crash but said the primary investigations are to be carried out by India.

“When an international incident occurs, that government leads the investigation. In the event assistance is requested, the NTSB is the official US representative and the FAA provides technical support. We stand ready to launch a team immediately in coordination with the NTSB,” the FAA said in a statement.

The NTSB stated that as per protocol, all information on the investigation will be provided by India. "The NTSB will be leading a team of US investigators travelling to India to assist the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau with its investigation into the crash of an Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad, India, Thursday. As per international protocol under the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Annex 13, all information on the investigation will be provided by the Government of India,” the NTSB said in a post on X.

As an immediate measure to prevent further mishaps of Air India Boeings, the DGCA has ordered enhanced safety inspection of all its 787-8/9 fleets. “As a preventive measure DGCA, hereby, directs Air India to carry out additional maintenance actions on B787-8/9 aircrafts equipped with GenX engines with immediate effect in coordination with the concerned regional DGCA offices,” the order said. The DGCA has ordered one-time check before departure of flights from India, from June 15, of fuel parameter monitoring and associated system checks, inspection of cabin air compressor and associated systems, electronic engine control system test, engine fuel driven actuator -- operational test and oil system check, serviceability check of hydraulic system, review of takeoff parameters. Besides, a flight control inspection has to be introduced in transit inspection till further notice and power assurance checks to be carried out within two weeks. The closure of maintenance action based upon the review of repetitive snags during the last 15 days on B787-8/9 aircraft has to be done at the earliest.

Air India has confirmed the death of 241 people out of 242 on board its Boeing 787 Dreamliner Ahmedabad-London flight, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday. Among the dead are former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. Besides 169 Indians, 53 British, one Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals were on board. Overall, 265 people have reportedly died due to the accident as the plane fell in a civilian residential area. Four MBBS students, a postgraduate resident and a senior doctor’s wife were among those killed at the B.J. Medical College complex outside the airport perimeter.

The Ahmedabad police said the bodies of six victims were handed over to their families after identification on Friday. At least 265 bodies were sent to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for post-mortem after the crash on Thursday. Of these, only six victims were identified as their faces were intact, inspector Chirag Gosai said. He added DNA profiling was underway to ascertain the identities of others as their bodies are charred beyond recognition.

“We have handed over six bodies to relatives. We have started the process of collecting DNA samples of relatives for profiling to identify bodies that are charred beyond recognition. The relatives of 215 deceased persons have approached us to give their samples," said Mr Gosai, who is handling affairs at the post-mortem room.

“It will take nearly 72 hours to complete the exercise of matching DNA samples. Once there is a match, bodies will be handed over to relatives from the post-mortem room,” the inspector said.