AAIB submits preliminary report on Air India 171 plane crash

AAIB submitted its preliminary report on the Air India AI171 crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people. The probe, assisted by international experts, is ongoing. Black box data is now being decoded in India for the first time at the AAIB Lab

New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has submitted its preliminary report on the Air India 171 crash to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and other relevant authorities.

This report, based on initial assessments and early findings, is expected to be made public later this week, according to top government officials, NDTV said.

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The London-bound Air India flight AI171 crashed into a medical college hostel just seconds after take-off from the Ahmedabad airport on June 12. As many as 241 people on board the plane and 19 on the ground were killed in the tragic crash. One passenger had miraculously survived the deadly crash.

A combined unit of the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) was recovered from the crash site on June 13, and another set was found on June 16. This model of aircraft has two black box sets.

A multi-disciplinary team from AAIB commenced an investigation into the crash on June 12. The investigation was ordered by the DG, AAIB. US NTSB and OEM teams also arrived to assist the AAIB as per ICAO protocols.

The investigators are reported to have looked into whether a dual-engine failure would have resulted in the crash.

The investigation is being led by AAIB officials and includes technical experts from the Indian Air Force, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which represents the country where the aircraft was designed and manufactured.

The probe is being overseen by the Director General of the AAIB. The investigation team also includes an aviation medicine specialist and an Air Traffic Control officer. The NTSB team also worked closely with Indian authorities at the AAIB Lab. Representatives from Boeing and engine-maker GE also participated in the technical analysis.

Previously, black boxes from Indian aircraft accidents were typically sent abroad for decoding to facilities in countries such as the UK, the US, France, Italy, Canada, and Russia. India lacked the infrastructure to analyse black box data from major crashes domestically. However, with the establishment of a fully equipped AAIB Lab in Delhi, India now has the capability to decode both cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders within the country itself.