After days of intense searching, investigators have finally found the digital flight data recorder from the Air India Express Boeing 737, which crashed last week in southern India. The aircraft overshot the runway, crashed into a valley, and exploded into flames upon impact, killing 158 people. The General Manager of Air India, G.M. Mathew, disclosed that the recovered item was the central part of the black box.
The instrument will provide useful information such as the plane’s acceleration, engine thrust, airspeed, altitude, and rudder position, which will aid in discovering the root cause of the accident. The cockpit voice recorder, which records transmissions and cockpit sounds such as the pilot’s conversation with Air Traffic Control, was found by investigators on Sunday.
Both devices are now in the laboratory of the Director-General of Civil Aviation in New Delhi for further analysis. The data retrieved from the black box will be valuable in shedding light on the circumstances leading to the crash. The recovered digital flight data recorder will enable investigators to determine if a technical snag caused the disaster or human factors such as pilot error or decision-making may be culpable.
Air India is a subsidiary of the country’s national carrier, Air India Express, which provides passenger services at a lower cost. Meanwhile, the country is still mourning the loss of the 158 people aboard the ill-fated jet. The investigation could take weeks, if not months, to determine the cause of the accident.
