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Business Standard
13-06-2025
- Science
- Business Standard
Air India crash: What is a black box and how does it aid an investigation?
Investigating authorities on Friday located one of the two flight recorders from the London-bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner (AI171) that crashed into a densely populated neighbourhood near Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad, minutes after departing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Investigators secured the rear-mounted device and will hand it over to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for analysis, Reuters reported. The wide-body aircraft was carrying 242 people: 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens and one Canadian. It issued a distress signal at 1.39 pm local time and climbed only to around 625 ft before disappearing from radar. Moments after radioing 'MAYDAY, MAYDAY…' to air-traffic controllers, the aircraft erupted in a fireball and crashed beyond the airport perimeter. Of all those on board, only one passenger — 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh in seat 11A — survived the impact. What is a black box? Commonly called a 'black box', an aircraft flight recorder is actually painted bright orange or yellow to aid retrieval. Developed in the early 1950s, it captures crucial data throughout a flight and is engineered to endure extreme heat, pressure, and violent impact. Australian scientist David Warren, who died in 2010, is credited with inventing the modern version that helps investigators determine why an aircraft crashes. Why is it called a black box? Long before Warren's breakthrough, French engineer François Hussenot experimented with optical data recorders that etched flight information onto photographic film sealed inside a light-proof container. Because no light could enter, the enclosure was dubbed a 'black box', a name that has endured even though modern units are brightly coloured. What is inside a black box? Key components include an aircraft-specific interface for recording and playback, an underwater locator beacon, a crash-survivable memory module capable of withstanding forces equivalent to 3,400 times gravity, and electronic circuitry housing data-storage chips. Modern systems typically combine two separate recorders: Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) – captures crew conversations, radio exchanges, and ambient cockpit sounds Flight Data Recorder (FDR) – logs over 80 parameters including altitude, airspeed, heading, engine performance, autopilot status, pitch, and roll How does a black box survive a crash? Each recorder is encased in a hardened steel or titanium shell, insulated against fire, deep-sea pressure, and sub-zero temperatures. The unit is typically mounted near the tail of the aircraft—an area that often absorbs less impact in a crash. How does it help in an investigation? By combining cockpit voice recordings with flight data, investigators can identify the root cause—be it mechanical failure, weather conditions, human error, or a combination. Decoding usually takes 10 to 15 days, after which findings are correlated with radar data, maintenance logs, and eyewitness reports. In the case of the 12 June crash, the black box should shed light on what triggered the crew's distress call and why communication ceased moments later. Origin and evolution of the flight recorder The concept gained traction in 1953 when Warren joined a task force investigating catastrophic mid-air explosions on the de Havilland Comet, the world's first commercial jet. Despite initial resistance from pilots fearing surveillance, Warren developed the ARL Flight Memory Unit in 1956, capable of storing four hours of voice and instrument data. Following two fatal crashes in 1963, Australia became the first country to mandate flight recorders on commercial aircraft—a standard now followed globally. Crucial role in past air disasters Several major air crash investigations have depended on black box data. The 2020 crash of Air India Express Flight 1344 in Kozhikode was traced to pilot error. In the 2015 Germanwings tragedy, when a co-pilot deliberately crashed an Airbus A320 into the French Alps, cockpit audio and data confirmed the cause.
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First Post
13-06-2025
- Science
- First Post
Black box found at Air India crash site: Why is this crucial to the investigation
A black box has been recovered from the site where the Air India flight had crashed in Ahmedabad a day earlier. Notably, after a plane crash, the black box becomes a major part of the investigation. It records the final moments of the flight, capturing activity in the cockpit and aircraft systems second by second. Now that the black box from Air India Flight AI-171 has been found, it will be sent to a forensic lab operated by either the DGCA or the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) for analysis read more Out of the 242 on board, 241 lost their lives. Reuters Every time a plane crashes, investigators begin searching urgently for the 'black box'. On Friday, one such box was found at the site where the Air India flight had crashed in Ahmedabad a day earlier. The Boeing 787-8 had 242 people on board when it came down in the Meghani Nagar area of the city, crashing into the mess area of a medical college hostel. Read Ahmedabad Plane Crash live updates Out of the 242 on board, 241 lost their lives. Only one person survived. Another 24 people who were on the ground were also killed, bringing the total number of deaths to 265. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what exactly is a black box? Why is it so crucial? And what can it reveal about what led to the crash? Let's answer these questions for you: Explained: What is a black box? Despite the name, a black box is actually a bright orange device made to survive severe crashes and fires. Every commercial aircraft carries two of these recorders. Their use dates back to the early 1950s. The first flight recorder was created by Australian scientist Dr David Warren (1925-2010). ALSO READ | The tragic story of a Rajasthan doctor couple, their 3 kids who were killed in Air India crash The two black boxes found on any aircraft are the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR). The CVR captures all sounds in the cockpit, including pilot conversations, radio exchanges, alarms and mechanical noises. Meanwhile, the FDR logs key details such as altitude, speed, engine power and the plane's flight path. These devices are protected by strong casings designed to withstand explosions, intense heat, water pressure and high-speed impacts. According to the American National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) website, depending on the incident, investigators may focus on sounds like engine noise, stall alerts or other unusual clicks. These sounds can help them work out the engine's condition or whether any systems failed. In 2014, NTSB investigators told the Associated Press that the flight data recorder stores up to 25 hours of data. This can include earlier flights within that period, which may sometimes hold clues to what caused a technical fault later on. What does the black box contain? A black box has four main parts: an interface for recording and playback, an underwater locator beacon, a crash 'survivable' memory unit able to withstand a force 3,400 times greater than gravity, and the circuit board with its recording chip. After a plane crash, the black box becomes the most important tool for investigators. Reuters Why is it called a black box? As per the Airbus website, long before David Warren's invention, French engineer Francois Hussenot had developed a data recording system in the 1930s. His device used sensors to project around ten flight details onto a strip of photographic film. This film was stored in a container that blocked out all light. Because of its light-proof design, the container came to be known as a 'black box'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why black box is important in air crash After a plane crash, the black box becomes the most important tool for investigators. It helps reconstruct the final moments of the flight, capturing what took place in the cockpit and within the aircraft systems, second by second. ALSO READ | Miracle survivor of Air India plane crash and other rare solo escapes from air disasters This information is important for understanding what went wrong and for improving safety measures to prevent similar events. In India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation requires every commercial aircraft to carry a black box. Today, even small planes are fitted with them. These devices are made from tough materials like titanium or stainless steel so they can survive crashes, fire, and deep-sea pressure. Across the world, black box data has helped solve major aviation accidents, from the Germanwings crash in 2015 to the Malaysia Airlines cases. In India, the investigation into the 2020 Kozhikode crash used black box data to piece together pilot choices and runway conditions at the time of landing. One black box found: What happens next? With the recovery of the black box from Air India Flight AI-171, the next step is to send it to a forensic lab run by either the DGCA or the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). At the lab, investigators will: STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Retrieve and study the data stored in the memory units Match the cockpit voice with flight data recordings Compare these with radar logs and Air Traffic Control (ATC) exchanges In the coming days, the findings from these devices will be key to understanding the cause of one of India's worst aviation disasters in recent times. With inputs from agencies
India.com
13-06-2025
- Science
- India.com
Whats A Black Box? How It Holds Clues To Air India AI171 Disaster
While rescue officials sift through the debris of Air India Flight AI171, which crashed into a physicians' hostel just outside Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport within minutes of taking off, investigators are relying on the plane's black box to reveal the reason behind the tragedy that claimed 241 lives. The Boeing 787-8, which was headed to London, dived from 625 feet, bursting into flames and filling the air with thick smoke. What Is A Black Box? The black box, ironically enough, is an orange-colored object consisting of two parts: the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR). The CVR records radio communications, captain and crew member conversations, and noises such as engine sounds or stall alarms, allowing experts to study important audio signals. The FDR tracks a minimum of 88 variables, such as altitude, airspeed, and direction of travel, with contemporary aircraft monitoring as many as 1,000 features, like flap lever positions or smoke detector activation, reports the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Origins And Design Initially developed in 1953 by Australian scientist David Warren, whose inspiration was his father's death in a 1934 plane crash and the 1953 Comet crash, the black box has become an essential instrument for aviation safety. Painted orange for visibility, they are constructed from titanium or stainless steel to survive high-impact crashes, fires, and 14,000-foot deep-sea pressure. The FDR is usually installed in the aircraft tail, and the CVR in the cockpit. On helicopters, a single combined recorder monitors 800–1,200 parameters, according to Airbus. How It Survives And Functions Designed to endure extreme conditions, black boxes can transmit signals from ocean depths and are treated to remove corrosive salt if submerged. Data retrieval, often conducted at facilities like Delhi's new Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder Laboratory, involves meticulous repairs and analysis, providing insights within 24 hours, though full investigations may take weeks. Limitations And Challenges Although critical, black boxes are not infallible. The NTSB commented that the Jeju Air plane crash in South Korea (December 2024) lost vital data from the last minutes of the flight. Likewise, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370's black box was never found (March 2014), and detection issues were exposed. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will be depending on the Delhi lab to inspect the recovered black box in the case of the Air India crash, hoping to explain the catastrophic failure.
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Air India AI171 crash: What's a black box and why is it important?
After a Gatwick-bound Air India plane(AI171) with 242 people onboard crashed minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport today, the search for the flight's black box continues, which is crucial equipment to find out what happened moments before the disaster. A black box is a small machine that records information about an aircraft during its flight. This bright orange or yellow rectangular box is crafted to withstand explosions, fire, water pressure, and high-speed crashes. Discovered by Australian scientist David Warren, it is used to discover the cause of a plane crash. The black box also comprises two recorders, a cockpit voice recorder for pilot voices and cockpit sounds, and a separate flight data recorder. The black box recording of the Air India plane can reveal the underlying reason or responses of the Mayday call, or any warnings received by the aircraft, hence contributing to the discovery of the main cause of the crash. The AI171 Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed at an altitude of just 625 feet today. The black box can shed light on vital information such as parameters of the engine performance and control surface positions amid others. A black box comprises four main parts, including, *an interface designed to fix the device and facilitate recording and playback * an underwater locator beacon * the core housing or 'Crash Survivable Memory Unit' made of stainless steel or titanium, which is designed to withstand a force equivalent to 3,400 times the force of gravity * The recording chip on a circuit board. The investigation of the 2020 Kozhikode plane crash of the Air India Express Flight 1344 was heavily dependent on the aircraft's black box recordings, which revealed that it was due to a pilot error. The 2015 Germanwings crash was another incident which was investigated using the plane's black box recordings.
NDTV
12-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Explained: What Is A Black Box In A Plane, And How It Reveals Crash Details
New Delhi: An Air India Ahmedabad-London flight took off at 1.39 pm. Under a minute later, it plummeted from an altitude of 625 feet and crashed into a doctors' hostel, with several casualties feared both inside the aircraft and in the building it damaged. The plane erupted into flames, sending thick smoke into the sky. As firefighting and rescue teams work on the spot of the crash, a deeper look into the reason behind it will likely be clear from a small box sitting in a corner of the aircraft - the black box. Origins Of The Black Box In 1953, Australian scientist David Warren came up with the idea for the cockpit voice recorder, according to the Associated Press. Warren had been investigating the crash of the world's first commercial jet airliner, the Comet, in 1953, and thought it would be helpful for airline accident investigators to have a recording of voices in the cockpit, the Australian Department of Defence said in a statement after his death. Warren designed and constructed a prototype in 1956. But it took several years before officials understood just how valuable the device could be and began installing them in commercial airlines worldwide. Warren's father had been killed in a plane crash in Australia in 1934. What Does A Black Box Do? The black box comprises two devices - the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR). The cockpit voice recorder collects radio transmissions and sounds such as the pilot's voices and engine noises, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)'s website. Depending on what happened, investigators may pay close attention to the engine noise, stall warnings and other clicks and pops, the NTSB said. And from those sounds, investigators can often determine engine speed and the failure of some systems. Investigators are also listening to conversations between the pilots and crew and communications with air traffic control. Experts make a meticulous transcript of the voice recording, which can take up to a week. The flight data recorder monitors a plane's altitude, airspeed and heading, according to the NTSB. Those factors are among at least 88 parameters that newly built planes must monitor. Some can collect the status of more than 1,000 other characteristics, from a wing's flap position to the smoke alarms. The NTSB said it can generate a computer animated video reconstruction of the flight from the information collected. NTBS investigators told the AP in 2014 that a flight data recorder carries 25 hours of information, including prior flights within that time span, which can sometimes provide hints about the cause of a mechanical failure on a later flight. An initial assessment of the data is provided to investigators within 24 hours, but analysis will continue for weeks more. It Does Not Appear Black Contrary to its name, a black box is typically orange in colour. This is to allow them to be easily discovered in plane wreckage, which are sometime found in depths of the ocean. The term "black box" was likely borrowed from the field of computing, in which a system has an input and output with an internal mechanism that is often not widely understood by a layperson, an expert told LiveScience. How Does It Survive Crashes? An FDR is usually placed in the tail of an aircraft, considered to be a part that is likely to take the least damage in a crash. When a plane crashes into water, the beacons inside activate and can transmit signals from the depths of 14,000 feet. If recovered from the sea, the black box is first treated to remove corrosive salt and then the inside is dried for up to many days. After electronics and memory are checked, necessary repairs are made, the chips are scrutinised to retrieve flight data. The black boxes are designed to withstand high impact, fire and deep sea pressure, being made from robust materials like titanium or stainless steel. A CVR is placed inside the aircraft's cockpit. What About Helicopters? Helicopters are equipped with a (single) combined recorder, capable of recording all the data needed to characterise the flight (time, heading, altitude, power, temperature, rotor speed, outside temperature, etc.), tracking between 800 and 1,200 parameters, per AirBus. On heavy helicopters (over 3,175 kg maximum take off weight) they can withstand a temperature of 1100 degrees Celsius for one hour. Those on light helicopters must withstand this temperature for 15 minutes. Where Will Data Of Crashed Air India Plane Be Retrieved? Earlier this year, Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder (DFDR & CVR) Laboratory was inaugurated in Delhi, where retrieved flight data from aircraft can be analysed. The state-of-the-art facility will enable Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to repair damaged black boxes, retrieve data, and conduct thorough analyses of accidents and incidents. Black Boxes Not 100% Reliable Though largely reliable in finding the root cause behind aviation accidents, black boxes have also known to present its limitations. A Jeju Air plane flying from Bangkok to South Korea with 181 people on board crashed on landing Sunday, killing 179 people on board. It black box was recovered, but analysis by the NTSB found that crucial data from the last few minutes of the flight was wiped out. In the case of the notorious downing and disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in March 2014, the signals that would emanate from the black box were not detected during search operations.
