Chatra: Teams from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Wednesday carried out a detailed investigation in the dense forest area of Chatra where a Redbird Airways Beechcraft C90 (VT-AJV) air ambulance crashed on Monday night, killing all seven people on board.While the teams declined to comment on the presence of a black box, local officials at the site said the 39-year-old aircraft was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) or flight data recorder (FDR). They said such systems are not mandatory for aircraft which is around 39 years old.The aircraft, operating a medical evacuation flight from Ranchi to Delhi, went down in the forested Simaria block of Chatra district.The absence of a black box is likely to pose technical challenges in reconstructing the exact sequence of events leading to the crash.Officials examined the wreckage, collected technical components and other material evidence, and conducted photography and videography to document the debris field. Sources said the teams also gathered relevant documents from Ranchi as part of the evidence collection and technical analysis.Investigators will now rely on air traffic control communication records, radar data, wreckage analysis and eyewitness accounts to determine the probable cause of the accident.Deputy commissioner Kirtishiree G said, “Both teams visited the crash site to gather evidence required for a scientific probe. The teams will leave Chatra tomorrow.”
