U.S. NTSB helps China download voice record of crashed Boeing 737-800 jet

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Friday Apr. 1 it was assisting Chinese investigators with the download of the cockpit voice recorder in Washington from an China Eastern Airlines 737-800 jet as it sent a team of investigators to China, David Shepardson reports for Reuters.

5 April 2022 – China and the United States have been in a bit of a political tension, but the Asian power has leaned on the U.S. NTSB in getting information in the deadly March crash. The fatal incident was mainland China’s deadliest crash in nearly three decades, Reuters reports.

The cockpit voice recorder, also called a “black box,” may provide information to the cause of the crash that claimed the lives of 132 people. It is currently unknown if there was a mechanical malfunction, technological or human error.

The NTSB tweeted on 1 April that its team “has departed for China to participate in CAAC’s B-737 accident investigation. Investigators will limit interactions with those outside of investigation similar to safety protocols at Beijing Olympics, which will allow them to begin work immediately without a quarantine. militaryaerospace.com