Deadly Air India Crash: AAIB Submits Preliminary Report to Ministry

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has submitted its preliminary report on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and concerned authorities. The report is based on initial findings from the probe into the crash that claimed over 250 lives.

Key Developments:

1. Black Box Recovery: One black box was recovered from a rooftop at the crash site on June 13, and the other from debris on June 16.

2. Data Retrieval: The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and its data was downloaded at the AAIB Lab on June 25.

3. Investigation Team: The probe is being led by AAIB officials, with technical members from the Indian Air Force, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) from the United States.

4. International Cooperation: Officials from Boeing and GE are assisting with the technical process, and the NTSB team is working closely with Indian authorities at the AAIB Lab.

India's Enhanced Capability:

1. Black Box Decoding: The AAIB Lab in Delhi is now fully equipped to decode both Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVR) and Flight Data Recorders (FDR) within the country, marking a significant improvement from earlier crashes where decoding was done abroad.

2. Self-Reliance: This development showcases India's growing capabilities in aviation accident investigation and analysis.

The investigation is ongoing, with the AAIB working diligently to determine the cause of the crash and identify areas for improvement in aviation safety