Context: Air India Crash and Investigation
- The Air India Boeing 787-8 crashed near Ahmedabad on June 14, 2025.
- Investigation is being led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
- Two black box sets recovered — one from June 13 and the other on June 16.
Relevance : GS 3(Disaster Management ,Technology)
What Are These Black Boxes?
- Each black box contains:
- Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) – logs flight parameters.
- Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) – captures conversations and cockpit sounds.
- The Boeing 787-8 has two sets of recorders (nose and tail) for redundancy — increases data survivability in accidents.
Decoding Decision Pending
- AAIB is yet to decide whether the black boxes will be decoded domestically or abroad.
- Decision will be made based on technical, safety, and security considerations.
India’s Lab Capacity – A New Step
- India did not have a dedicated black box decoding lab before.
- In April 2025, AAIB inaugurated a new DFDR and CVR lab at its HQ with a ₹9 crore investment.
- But it’s unclear if this facility has full capability or international certification to decode high-end aircraft like the 787-8.
Previous Precedent: Kozhikode Crash 2020
- After the Kozhikode crash (2020), the black box was sent to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
- Data decoding was overseen by the Indian Ambassador to the U.S.
- At that time, India lacked a black box lab, highlighting dependency on foreign agencies.
Preliminary Reports: A Grey Area
- As per ICAO Annex 13, a preliminary report is required within 30 days.
- But under Indian rules — Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017:
- There’s no mandatory timeline for preliminary reports.
- The preliminary report is meant only to categorise the incident and assess required expertise.
Kozhikode Case: Final Report Only
- In Kozhikode, no preliminary report was released — only a final report after nearly a year.
- Officials cited risk of public/media backlash if early-stage data differs from final findings.
Implications of Lack of Timelines
- The absence of mandated timelines for preliminary reports in Indian law may lead to:
- Delayed transparency.
- Reduced public trust in aviation safety accountability.
- Non-alignment with international norms.
Strategic Significance
- Deciding whether to decode black box data in India or abroad will test the capability and credibility of the new lab.
- It also raises questions about India’s aviation investigation readiness, especially for wide-body aircraft like the 787.
