Ahmedabad plane crash: Second black box recovered from site, confirms PMO

The investigation related to the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad is underway, and the authorities have recovered the second black box of the plane from the crash site. This was confirmed by PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a recent official statement.

What could be inside the second black box?

The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), which is the second black box, has been recovered from the site, which will possibly help in understanding how and why the plane crash happened within minutes of takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport, leading to the loss of lives of everyone on board the aircraft, except one.

What is the function of a CVR?

The CVR captures all audio inside the aircraft, which includes pilot conversations, radio transmissions, warning alarms, and more, which would now be analyzed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and other agencies responsible for the investigation of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. According to reports, the CVR's data could give possible clues as to why the plane crashed in such a sudden manner 15 km away from the airport from which it had taken off.

Importance of black boxes in aircraft first realized during 2020 plane crash

The first black box was recovered on Friday from the crash site of Air India Flight AI-171, and both of them combined will be able to give investigators a minute-by-minute understanding of what went on inside the plane, including facts about any issues with the aircraft system, if any.

The importance of the black box in aircraft accidents was especially realized during the 2020 Kozhikode plane crash, which provided details about the failed landing attempt, leading to the plane overshooting the runway and crashing.