As the investigation into the fatal Air India crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 continues, former Director General of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Group Captain Aurobindo Handa (Retd), has warned that the process may be long and complex due to the severe damage caused by fire.
In an interview with PTI, Handa — who also chaired the Accident Investigation Group (AIG) of the ICAO Asia-Pacific Region — said, “Going by the visuals of the accident, the aircraft has been very badly damaged by fire. Stitching together the evidence will be a tedious process. In all probability and in fairness, the investigation is likely to be a long-drawn process.”
Handa, who led AAIB during the probe into the 2020 Air India Express crash in Kozhikode, emphasised that although international norms under ICAO’s Annex 13 recommend investigations be completed within a year, the priority remains thoroughness and accuracy over speed.
He explained that the investigation process relies heavily on the method of elimination, similar to a physician diagnosing an illness. “After data from the flight recorders is analysed, investigators narrow down to probable systems that may have failed. Each potential cause is studied in depth, and unlikely ones are ruled out,” he said.
Handa also stressed that the aim of any investigation is not to assign blame but to determine the root cause to prevent recurrence.
Describing the immediate steps taken by AAIB after arriving at a crash site, Handa said the priority is to secure the area, retrieve the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, and preserve meaningful debris for further analysis. Once the black boxes are retrieved, the raw data is converted into engineering parameters for interpretation.
India, he added, has strong capabilities to conduct technical analysis with support from agencies like NAL, HAL, and LCA. However, in sensitive cases, the recorders may be sent to their original equipment manufacturers, such as Honeywell, for accurate data extraction.
As authorities work to piece together the final moments of the ill-fated flight, the nation awaits answers to what led to the deadly tragedy.