The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member provided an update on the ongoing investigation into the midair collision involving an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter. According to the NTSB member, Todd Inman, the process of extracting data from the black boxes of the passenger jet will be a time-consuming task, expected to take several days.
Inman explained that the data recorder contains thousands of data points that need to be synchronized with various other factors from the plane. Additionally, the voice recorders will undergo a thorough review by multiple individuals to ensure accurate transcription.
Aside from analyzing the black box data, investigators are also paying attention to ancillary noises that may have been recorded, such as booms or thuds in the cockpit. Inman emphasized the comprehensive nature of the investigation, with hundreds of personnel examining every aspect of the tragic incident.
The collision resulted in the presumed deaths of all 67 individuals onboard both aircraft. Inman mentioned that a preliminary report from the NTSB is anticipated to be released within 30 days. However, he cautioned that the final determination of the probable cause could take a year or longer to complete.
