Indian authorities are working to reconstruct the events that led to the plane crashing outside Ahmedabad airport on 12 June.

The first data from the two black boxes of the fatal Air India crash earlier this month has been recovered.

Flight AI171 bound for London Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad Airport. CCTV footage from the airport showed the plane taking off from the runway and then suddenly lowering back towards the ground before crashing and exploding into flames.

All but one of the 242 people on board were killed, while another 19 people were killed on the ground.

The black boxes of the plane – the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) – were recovered in the days that followed. One was tracked to the rooftop of a building at the crash site on 13 June, and the other from the debris on 16 June.

They were transported to Delhi on Tuesday, where a team led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau began extracting their data, the ministry said in a statement.

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the Air India crash. (Getty)

The crash protection module from the front black box has been retrieved, with its memory module accessed and data downloaded, the ministry said.

They added in a statement: ”The analysis of CVR and FDR data is underway.”

It comes after India said last week that it was yet to decide where the black boxes would be analysed.

Data from the black box will help investigators determine the cause of the crash, as mystery still surrounds exactly how it happened.

Earlier this month, a report in the Wall Street Journal suggested that the Boeing Dreamliner’s emergency power generator, known as the ram air turbine (RAT), was operating when the plane crashed, suggesting engine failure may have been to blame.

What caused the Air India crash?

With the investigation into the Air India crash ongoing, data recovery from the black boxes will help determine the cause.

So far, several theories have been floated, though without confirmation or hard evidence, these remain theories for now.

One theory points to a failure in the wing flaps, which may not have been extended properly, reducing lift during takeoff in the 40C heat that demands higher flap settings.

Fuel contamination is also being considered, as it could have disrupted engine performance.

A police officer stands in front of the wreckage of the crashed Air India aircraft. (Reuters)

If Boeing Dreamliner’s emergency power generator was active, it suggests that engine failure at takeoff could be a potential cause of the plane crashing to the ground.

The system generates electricity and hydraulic pressure to ensure pilots can control the plane even if both engines fail.

Other theories include sabotage and pilot error involving the retraction of flaps instead of landing gear, as the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) indicates a systemic failure rather than human error.

A possible double engine failure, potentially triggered by a bird strike, has also been suggested, given Ahmedabad airport’s history of 462 bird strike incidents over five years. However, no birds are visible in any of the footage of the crash.

What is a black box and how does it work?

A black box, commonly referred to in aviation, is a pair of critical flight data recording devices installed on aircraft.

These include the flight data recorder (FDR), which continuously logs hundreds of flight parameters, such as airspeed, heading, and control inputs, onto memory boards.

Meanwhile, the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) captures audio from cockpit microphones, including pilot communications and background noises, typically on a two-hour loop.

Both devices are powered by the aircraft’s electrical system but have backup batteries for reliability.

The black box in an aircraft, like the one pictured on a plane in the Netherlands, helps investigators determine the cause of a crash in the even of one taking place. (Getty)

Despite the name, black boxes are painted bright orange to aid recovery after accidents.

Housed in crash-resistant casings made of materials like titanium, they can endure extreme temperatures and pressures.

Typically located in the aircraft’s tail, they are designed to preserve data for accident investigations and are essential for understanding the causes of aviation incidents.

Each black box emits an ultrasonic signal via a locator beacon to aid recovery in water or debris.

Data extracted from these devices is then analysed by investigators to reconstruct events leading to an accident.