Federal accident investigators are demanding improved cockpit voice recorders on current aircraft. This proposal comes in light of a significant incident where vital evidence was lost due to outdated technology. Last month's freak accident, where a door panel blew out mid-flight over Oregon, has set off alarm bells, as per a report by The Oregonian.
Currently, airplanes are expected to record only two hours of cockpit audio, but the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) put forth a recommendation to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday for upgrades that could capture 25 hours. According to News Center Maine, the proposal, initiated last year by the FAA, would enforce this extended recording capability only on new planes, leaving the bulk of the aging US fleet uncovered.
During a potentially catastrophic event aboard Alaska Airlines flight 1282 on January 5, the current recording system's limitations became jarringly evident. The accident's CVR data could not be thoroughly analyzed because, after two hours, the older system overwrote the recordings. "Our investigators don’t have the CVR audio to fully understand all of the challenges the flight crew faced in response to the emergency," NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy emphasized, as stated by AP News.
Retrofits of such safety equipment seem long overdue, considering at least 14 NTSB investigations since 2018 have been stymied due to overwriting of cockpit audios, including seven close calls on runways in early 2023 alone. Europe’s aviation authority, as well as the United Nation’s aviation organization, are seemingly steps ahead, with the FAA's proposal aligning with these international counterparts. Details from the FAA cited by News Center Maine indicated that about 115 comments on this proposal were received, and they will be reviewed before a final rule is issued.
