Ahmedabad: Less than 40 seconds into its flight, Air India Flight 171 tragically crashed into a densely populated neighborhood, marking one of India’s most perplexing aviation disasters in recent history.
According to BBC, investigators are now tasked with the challenging mission of analyzing the wreckage and deciphering the cockpit voice and flight data recorders of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to understand the catastrophic events that unfolded seconds after take-off. Under the international guidelines set by the UN aviation authority, ICAO, a preliminary report is expected within 30 days, with a comprehensive final report ideally completed within a year.
Experts emphasize the importance of triangulation and elimination in air crash investigations, which involves correlating physical evidence from the wreckage with recorded aircraft performance data to construct a clear picture of the incident. This process will involve examining every scorched cable, damaged turbine blade, airplane maintenance log, and signals and sounds from the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, commonly referred to as the “black box.”
The initial clues are likely to emerge from the wreckage of the two engines. Former managing director of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Peter Goelz, noted that examining the engines could reveal whether they were generating power upon impact, as turbines exhibit distinct fracture patterns when spinning at high speeds. This finding could be pivotal in understanding the sequence of events leading to the crash.
The Boeing 787’s Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs) are expected to shed light on the incident by capturing extensive flight data and cockpit audio. This includes pilot radio communications, ambient cockpit sounds, and data on gear and flap lever positions, thrust settings, engine performance, fuel flow, and even fire handle activation. If the engines were indeed producing full power, investigators may turn their attention to the aircraft’s flaps and slats, which play a crucial role in ensuring safe take-offs and landings.
The investigation could also extend to the aircraft’s flight management control system, which integrates data from various sensors to optimize flight path and fuel efficiency. With over 1,100 Boeing 787s in operation worldwide, investigators must determine whether the issue was a one-time failure or indicative of a broader systemic problem that could impact the global fleet.
As of now, there is no indication of fault on anyone’s part. India’s civil aviation ministry reported that a recent inspection of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns. Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg stated that Boeing would defer to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) for information on the crash, in accordance with UN ICAO protocol.
The decoding of data at the AAIB lab in Delhi will be led by Indian investigators, with contributions from experts at Boeing, engine-maker GE, Air India, and Indian regulators. Representatives from the NTSB and the UK will also participate in the investigation.
The wreckage itself may offer additional insights, with investigators meticulously collecting every part, from wires to bolts. Depending on the findings from the flight data and voice recorders, a full reconstruction of the wreckage may not be necessary. Investigators will also examine fuel filters, lines, valves, and residual fuel for contamination, and review maintenance and fault history records from the airline and Boeing’s ACARS system.
Additionally, the investigation will scrutinize pilot licenses, training records, simulator performance, and instructor feedback to assess how pilots handled critical scenarios in advanced flight simulators. These comprehensive inquiries are part of the extraordinarily complex nature of air crash investigations, which, despite their complexity, often yield early indicators of the likely cause of the crash.
The advancement of technology has significantly transformed air crash investigations. In 1994, flight data recorders tracked only a few parameters, whereas today’s recorders capture hundreds, if not thousands, of data points every second, revolutionizing the investigative process.