New Delhi – 27 June 2025
Indian investigators have successfully downloaded the cockpit-voice recorder (CVR) and flight-data recorder (FDR) from the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on 12 June, killing 260 people.
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What happened?
Flight AI-171 bound for London plummeted moments after departure, coming down in a residential area. Of the 242 passengers and crew, only one survived; several people on the ground were also killed. -
Key recovery timeline
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13 June – CVR found on a rooftop near the impact site.
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16 June – FDR located in the main debris field.
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25 June – Data from both units successfully downloaded at the AAIB lab in New Delhi, with GE and U.S. NTSB specialists in attendance.
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Focus of the investigation
Preliminary radar traces show the jet began losing altitude after climbing to roughly 650 ft. Investigators are examining:-
Possible thrust anomalies in the two GE GEnx engines.
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Reports that the aircraft’s emergency-power generator (RAT) had deployed in flight.
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Cockpit exchanges in the final minutes.
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Next steps
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the probe, assisted by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). A 30-day factual update is expected by mid-July; a comprehensive interim report should follow within six months. NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy urged a “swift release of factual findings for global safety benefit.” -
Wider implications
The crash is the deadliest worldwide since 2014 and the worst in Indian aviation history. Its findings could influence operating procedures for more than 1,000 787s in service, particularly regarding engine-thrust management and enhanced flight-recorder use.
Authorities stress that no single cause is yet identified; most modern air disasters stem from a chain of technical, operational and human factors.
