Ahmedabad Crash Probe Advances as AAIB Submits Initial Findings to Ministry
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has submitted its preliminary report on the fatal Air India Flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad, marking a significant step in the investigation. The report includes black box data successfully retrieved and decoded within India for the first time. Over 250 lives were lost in the accident, and the initial findings—compiled with support from Indian and international technical teams—have now been submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for further review.
The AAIB’s submission of the initial report on the Ahmedabad crash signals critical progress in India’s aviation accident analysis capacity. Following the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171, where more than 250 people lost their lives, officials from multiple agencies collaborated on the investigation. The memory module from the aircraft’s black box, retrieved in two parts from the crash site, was decoded using a replica chassis at the AAIB Lab in Delhi. This marks the first time India has successfully retrieved and analysed flight recorder data domestically, a task historically outsourced to international labs in the US, UK, France, and Canada. Teams from the Indian Air Force, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and the US-based National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are jointly involved in the probe. Aviation medicine experts and air traffic specialists are also contributing, underscoring the multidisciplinary approach required to piece together such a complex aviation disaster.
Until recently, India lacked in-house infrastructure to decode flight recorders from major aviation accidents. Black boxes from earlier crashes had to be sent abroad, often delaying investigations. For instance, black box decoding for the Charkhi Dadri crash in 1996 was conducted in Moscow and Farnborough, while the Mangalore crash in 2010 saw its recorders analysed by the NTSB in the US. The AAIB’s upgraded lab in Delhi, however, now houses advanced tools to analyse both Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVR) and Flight Data Recorders (FDR), allowing for quicker, more secure, and sovereign investigations. This development reflects growing self-reliance in India’s aviation safety mechanisms. The presence of technical advisors from Boeing, GE, and the NTSB in Delhi further supports the integrity of the current investigation. While the cause of the crash is still under analysis, the efficient retrieval and interpretation of critical flight data is expected to play a pivotal role in determining accountability and future safeguards.
The Ahmedabad crash has become a defining moment in India’s aviation safety infrastructure, not only due to the scale of loss but also because it marks a transition in investigative capability. With black box data successfully decoded on Indian soil, officials now have access to vital information without relying on foreign laboratories. This enhancement will likely accelerate future accident responses and policy reforms. As the full investigation continues under AAIB leadership with support from global partners, the aviation sector looks toward stronger safeguards and faster resolutions rooted in domestic expertise and technological capacity.
