Air India Crash: Black Box Secrets Unveiled After Recovery Delay

June 27, 2025: The investigation into the deadly crash of Air India Flight 171 has entered a crucial phase, as data from the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) was accessed this week by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), working alongside the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The Boeing 787, which crashed into a crowded Ahmedabad neighborhood shortly after takeoff on its way to London, was in the air for less than 40 seconds. The crash killed 241 of the 242 passengers and crew onboard, making it one of India’s deadliest and most mysterious aviation disasters in recent memory.

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The aircraft was equipped with two recorder sets designed to capture comprehensive information: the FDR logs gear and flap positions, thrust, engine data, fuel flow, and fire handle activations with high precision, while the CVR records pilot communications and ambient cockpit sounds.

India’s aviation ministry confirmed that analysis of the CVR and FDR is underway, with the goal of reconstructing the final moments of Flight 171 and identifying the cause of the accident to improve future aviation safety. “These efforts aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety and prevent future occurrences,” the ministry said.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy, speaking to Reuters, urged India to release its findings swiftly, citing the importance of transparency for aviation safety and public awareness. “We hope they will make their findings public swiftly,” she added, noting the “excellent cooperation” between the US and Indian investigative teams.

However, the nearly two-week delay in retrieving and analyzing the flight recorders has raised concerns among aviation experts, who described the lag as unusual given the urgency of such investigations.

Flight 171, piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kundar, took off at 13:39 local time, but a mayday call was issued almost immediately — the aircraft’s final transmission before the tragic crash.