• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Ahmedabad Plane Crash: The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, has been found, a crucial discovery that could help determine the cause of the tragic accident that killed 270 people, including 241 on board, officials said.

Officials confirmed the recovery of the black boxes to P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who on Sunday inspected the crash site of the Air India plane in Ahmedabad and visited the civil hospital where the injured are receiving treatment.

ALSO READ: Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Air India to Insure All Passengers After Tragedy Kills 270

What Is A Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)? 

The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), commonly known as one of the aircraft's two "black boxes," is a vital investigative tool that captures audio from the cockpit, including pilot conversations, alarms, and ambient sounds in the final moments before a crash, according to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The other black box, the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), which records the aircraft's technical flight parameters, was recovered earlier.

"The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) launched a detailed investigation, and the NTSB is conducting a parallel probe under international protocols since the aircraft is American made. Officials confirmed that the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were located and secured," the govt release said.

Second Black Box Recovered

The first black box was discovered on Friday from the rooftop of a building at the site of the Air India Flight AI-171. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed that it was the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) of the ill-fated aircraft.

How Black Box Helped In The Past To Recover Information? 

In the past, black box data has been instrumental in resolving major aviation disasters, such as the 2015 Germanwings crash, where the CVR revealed deliberate pilot action, and the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 incident, which confirmed that the aircraft was brought down by a missile strike.

In India, the investigation into the 2020 Kozhikode air crash also relied on black box recordings to reconstruct pilot decisions and assess runway conditions.

What Is Black Box? 

The black box consists of two key devices: the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR). In the case of Air India Flight AI-171, both the CVR and FDR have been recovered. According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), large commercial aircraft, and many smaller commercial, corporate, and private planes, are required to be equipped with both recorders. 

ALSO READ: Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Gujarat Ex-CM Vijay Rupani’s Last Rites On Monday, One Day Of State Mourning Announced

All About CVR

The CVR records pilots’ voices and cockpit sounds, including alarms, engine noise, and switch activations, to help investigators understand what happened during critical moments of a flight. Positioned between the two pilots, it also captures communication with air traffic control and among crew members. A multi-agency CVR analysis team uses audio timestamps and spectrum analysis software to generate a detailed transcript.