New Delhi, June 26, 2025 – Two weeks after the devastating crash of Air India Flight AI-171, investigators have taken a major step forward. The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed on Wednesday that both the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR)-commonly known as the black boxes – have been successfully decoded. This breakthrough could finally reveal what went wrong on June 12 when the flight went down shortly after take off from Ahmedabad, killing all 268 people onboard.
The CVR was recovered just a day after the crash, on the rooftop of a house near the impact zone. The FDR took a little longer-found on June 16, buried beneath heavy wreckage. Once recovered, both black boxes were flown to New Delhi on June 24 under tight security, including armed escorts and round-the-clock surveillance.
By June 25, teams at the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) lab had extracted all the crucial data. The CVR contains audio from inside the cockpit in the moments leading up to the crash – everything from pilot conversations to warning alarms. The FDR, on the other hand, logs the aircraft’s technical performance, including altitude, speed, engine behavior, and control inputs. Officials say the data appears to be fully intact and is now being analyzed in detail.
A joint team of Indian and U.S. experts, including members from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), is working to reconstruct the flight’s final minutes. Their goal is to determine whether mechanical failure, human error, or external factors were responsible.
But while the technical side is moving quickly, there’s concern about a key gap-as of June 26, a lead investigator for the case still hasn’t been appointed. Aviation safety experts say this delay could slow down decision-making and potentially affect the timeline of the final report.
On the evening of 24th June 2025, the data extraction process for the black boxes began under the supervision of the Director General of AAIB. The technical team, which included experts from both AAIB and the U.S. NTSB, carefully retrieved the Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box. By the next day, 25th June, the memory module was successfully accessed and the data was downloaded at the AAIB Lab in Delhi.
Right now, the analysis of both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) is underway. The goal is to piece together the exact sequence of events that led to the crash and identify what factors may have contributed to it. This is an important step not just for understanding what happened, but also for strengthening aviation safety and making sure something like this doesn’t happen again.
Every step so far has been taken within the framework of Indian law and in line with international standards, and the process is being carried out in a time-bound and professional manner.
For now, investigators continue to sift through every second of data, searching for answers -answers the families of 268 victims, and the flying public at large, are still desperately waiting for.
Black Boxes Don’t Lie – and Now, They’re Speaking Up
June 24 wasn’t just another day – it was a turning point. A team of experts from AAIB and NTSB, led by the DG of AAIB, began pulling truth from silence. The Crash Protection Module was recovered, and by June 25, the memory inside was unlocked.
Now, the real story of Flight AI-171 is unfolding – second by second, word by word.
This isn’t a hunt for blame.
It’s a pursuit of truth.
It’s about honouring lives lost with the answers they deserve.
It’s about turning heartbreak into reform.
The investigation follows every rule – Indian law, global standards, and a shared sense of responsibility.
