London-bound Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 people on board, crashed in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Thursday, shortly after take-off. The pilots sent a Mayday distress call immediately after take-off. However, the aircraft soon fell silent and, within seconds, smashed into a hostel building near the airport. According to Air India, 241 of the 242 people on board lost their lives in the crash. In addition to the passengers, some students and others at the hostel also died, and several others were injured.
First Dreamliner crash
This crash is one of the deadliest in years, not only in India but across the world. It is also the first crash involving a Boeing Dreamliner. Given the seriousness of the disaster, the world wants answers as to how it happened.
AAIB: The lead investigator
The responsibility for finding those answers falls to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The bureau is part of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, but it operates independently. Its job is to investigate aviation accidents and prevent future ones. The AAIB works under the norms set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), so its process follows global standards.
A Multinational Probe
This crash involves multiple countries. The aircraft was manufactured by Boeing in the United States, and its engines came from GE Aerospace, another American company. The plane was London-bound with passengers from several nations, which is why the probe will be multinational.
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The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is sending a team to assist the AAIB. The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch will also take part in the investigation. Other countries, such as Portugal and Canada, may also participate, as their citizens were on board.
Air India Plane Crash Probe: The process
So, how will the investigation work? First, emergency responders secure the crash site. Investigators then locate the aircraft’s black boxes, which record flight data and cockpit conversations and provide the most direct clues to what went wrong. After that, every detail is examined. The wreckage is carefully photographed and analysed.
Investigators pore over flight records, maintenance logs and weather reports. They also review the actions of engineers, pilots and air-traffic controllers, and interview survivors and witnesses.
AAIB officials as well as domain experts are expected to be a part of the team of investigators. The Bureau is also likely to seek assistance from Boeing and GE Aerospace in the probe.
The Probe Report Timeline
Every aspect of the probe and each finding feeds into an AAIB report. The bureau then seeks feedback from various stakeholders, reviews it, and makes changes if necessary. Once that feedback has been reviewed, the report is finalised.
Completing the investigation and preparing the final report can take months, or even up to a year. The report sets out what happened, why it happened, and how similar accidents can be avoided in future.
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