Buried Black Boxes Could Solve China Plane Disaster Mystery
- Data and voice recorders have helped understand past accidents
- One device was retrieved by China Eastern crash salvage crews
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Investigators sifting through the wreckage of the China Eastern Airlines Corp. jetliner that slammed into a hillside two days ago will glean the most conclusive evidence on what caused the crash from the two flight recorders, one of which has already been retrieved from the mangled parts.
The two separate devices, typically referred to as black boxes even though they’re painted distinctive orange to make them easier to see, can store audio recordings from the cockpit and data on hundreds of flight parameters -- from speed and altitude to flap positioning and heading -- that help investigators recreate the final fateful moments before a crash.