# Air India 787 Crash Investigation: NTSB–India Standoff, Black Box Battle & Stunning Near Misses

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ntsb-news-talk-aviation-accidents-safety-investigations-pilot-lessons-7333682/air-india-787-crash-investigation-ntsb-india-standoff-black-box-battle-stunning-near-misses
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ntsb-news-talk-aviation-accidents-safety-investigations-pilot-lessons-7333682/air-india-787-crash-investigation-ntsb-india-standoff-black-box-battle-stunning-near-misses.md
Podcast: [NTSB News Talk – Aviation Accidents, Safety Investigations & Pilot Lessons](https://stenobird.com/podcast/ntsb-news-talk-aviation-accidents-safety-investigations-pilot-lessons-7333682)
Published: 2025-12-01T16:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://ntsb-news-talk.captivate.fm
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/3a17e133-458c-4989-9a03-0edf4bec963c.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/ntsb-news-talk-aviation-accidents-safety-investigations-pilot-lessons-7333682/episodes/air-india-787-crash-investigation-ntsb-india-standoff-black-box-battle-stunning-near-misses
Duration seconds: 2709

## Resource

Episode 18 begins with an extraordinary behind-the-scenes dispute surrounding the Air India Boeing 787 crash investigation. Max and Rob open with a Wall Street Journal report describing how U.S. technical experts arrived in Delhi last summer expecting to assist with the black-box analysis, only to be told they would need to board a late-night military flight to a remote facility. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy expressed concerns about U.S. personnel and equipment being moved into an area under State Department terrorism advisories, especially given rising tensions in the region. The NTSB pushed instead for data extraction either in Delhi or in Washington, triggering a rapid series of high-level calls involving the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Boeing, and GE Aerospace. Indian officials insisted they had full capability to download the recorders, yet simultaneously requested more than 30 pieces of specialized equipment from the NTSB, further complicating the diplomatic dynamics. Homendy ultimately issued a 48-hour ultimatum: select Delhi or Washington for the data download, or the U.S. would withdraw from the investigation entirely. India chose Delhi, but the episode highlights how political sensitivities can shape technical investigations—especially when early evidence, as reported, suggested the possibility of intentional fuel-cutoff switch manipulation. The hosts note that pilot-suicide scenarios, though rare, account for more fatal commercial accidents than many pilots realize, citing EgyptAir, Germanwings, Malaysia 370, and other historical cases. From the geopolitical, the episode shifts to more traditional NTSB investigations. A midair collision in Canada between a Cessna 172 and a Piper Seminole resulted in the 172 losing a wing and crashing, while the Seminole…

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