The black box from the crashed Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be sent to the United States for a detailed investigation, a source informed The Economic Times. 

Although the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) was recovered two days after the crash, severe burn damage from the post-crash fire made data recovery in India impossible.

The damaged recorder will now be examined at the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) laboratory in Washington, D.C. The findings will be shared with India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

“While AAIB had established a laboratory at its headquarters in Delhi last year, it is yet to be properly equipped to extract data from recorders which have sustained heavy damage,” a source told ET.

To ensure transparency, the black box will be transported under protection, and Indian officials will supervise the process.

“The NTSB team will carry them to their lab under protection and supervision from Indian officials to ensure that proper protocols are followed,” the source added.

The United Kingdom’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is also taking part in the probe. That’s because 53 British citizens were among the victims of the crash.

The black box, made up of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), is designed to survive extreme conditions. The FDR records vital flight information like speed, altitude, and pilot actions, while the CVR captures cockpit audio, including conversations and sounds, for up to 25 hours.

Experts are currently looking into what might have gone wrong. Investigators are checking details such as flap positions, landing gear deployment, electronic failures, or even fuel-related issues.

The AAIB is expected to release a preliminary report within a month, though the time needed to extract data could range from a couple of days to several months, depending on the level of damage.

Following the crash, aviation authorities have launched a detailed inspection of Air India’s entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The aircraft involved was 12 years old and one of 33 Dreamliners operated by the airline.

This marks the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its introduction 16 years ago.

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