Ahmedabad plane crash: How aviation accident mysteries are solved?

Ahmedabad was rocked by tragedy on Thursday afternoon when Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff. Moments after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, the aircraft plummeted into the Meghani Nagar area, erupting in a massive fireball. Eyewitnesses reported thick columns of black smoke and a thunderous explosion that shook the city.

The wide-body aircraft was carrying 242 people—232 passengers and 10 crew members—and was heavily fueled for its international route, a factor that intensified the post-crash blaze and complicated rescue operations. Within minutes, emergency responders, fire brigades, and ambulances rushed to the scene, while the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) initiated immediate investigative protocols. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar were in command when the aircraft reportedly issued a MAYDAY call just 625 feet into its ascent.

While the nation awaits news on survivors, a different kind of operation is already underway—one that begins not in the sky, but on the ground, amidst wreckage, memories, and orange-colored recorders that hold the final truths.

The Hunt for the Black Box

Central to solving any aviation disaster is the recovery of the aircraft’s flight recorders—commonly known as the "black boxes." Despite their name, these devices are painted bright orange for visibility and are built to withstand catastrophic forces—impact, fire, water pressure, and extreme temperatures.

Every commercial aircraft carries two of them: the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), which captures crew conversations, radio exchanges, and cockpit sounds, and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), which logs thousands of parameters like altitude, airspeed, engine performance, and control inputs.

In the case of the Ahmedabad crash, these devices are the key to understanding what went wrong in those crucial seconds after takeoff. Investigators hope the recorders will reveal whether it was a mechanical failure, an engine issue, a bird strike, an onboard fire, or a human error that doomed flight AI-171. Once recovered, the recorders will be sent to DGCA or Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) forensic labs where experts will extract data, synchronize audio and flight inputs, and correlate findings with radar and ATC communications.

Step by Step: How India Investigates an Air Crash

According to Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) website once an accident is officially classified as a crash or serious incident under Rule 11 of India’s Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, the AAIB appoints an Investigator-in-Charge. Notification of the event is sent to the states involved in the aircraft's registry, operation, design, and manufacture.

The initial focus is rapid and urgent: preserving perishable evidence that might degrade with time. AAIB officials are immediately dispatched to the site to photograph the wreckage, interview witnesses, collect radar logs, retrieve the black boxes, and gather other electronic and mechanical evidence.

Next comes the deeper examination—where every shred of data is scrutinized. Investigators may involve subject matter experts: engineers, type-rated pilots, air traffic controllers, or aviation medicine specialists. If the investigation requires specialized lab work, AAIB collaborates with organizations like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, National Aerospace Laboratories, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

From Evidence to Understanding: The Science Behind the Report

Once all relevant evidence is collected, it is subjected to layered analysis to reconstruct the accident narrative. This includes studying the pilot’s decisions, analyzing technical systems, evaluating environmental factors, and matching all of it with flight recorder data.

Draft reports are then prepared, peer-reviewed, and sent to international stakeholders involved in the aircraft’s origin or manufacture. Comments are reviewed, amendments are made, and only after rigorous consultation does the final report emerge—a public document containing safety recommendations meant to prevent future tragedies.

In particularly complex cases, contradictory or incomplete data may lead to repeated site visits, additional interviews, or expanded searches. The goal is not just to know what happened, but why—and how it can be prevented from happening again.

Experts will decode the black boxes, reconstruct the final moments of the flight, and issue preliminary findings. The DGCA has already committed to a full inquiry, and Boeing is likely to send technical experts to assist.

As the smoke clears over Meghani Nagar, the black boxes retrieved from the wreckage will speak for those who cannot. And from their silence, a clearer picture will emerge—not only of the fall of flight AI-171 but also of the path to safer skies.