I searched available reporting and technical sources up to June 3, 2025 and did not find any credible public record of an Air India Boeing 787 accident with black-box downloads by that date. Because there is no verified event to analyze from that cutoff, this piece explains, from an operational and investigator-focused perspective, what the flight data and cockpit voice recorders would show if a takeoff stall were suspected on a 787, and what pilots and operators should watch for in both prevention and early response.

What a takeoff stall looks like in the data

A genuine aerodynamic stall during the takeoff/climb phase leaves a distinct fingerprint across multiple recorder channels. Key items investigators will cross-check include angle of attack, calibrated airspeed, pitch attitude, vertical acceleration, rate of climb/descent, flap position, and control column or sidestick inputs. A classical aerodynamic stall shows a rise in pitch and angle of attack coupled with a rapid drop in airspeed and lift, usually with high nose-up attitude and a negative or falling climb rate. Those signatures come from the flight data recorder’s numerous monitored parameters and allow animating the flight path for timeline reconstruction.

How engine or thrust anomalies differ from aerodynamic stall

If engines lose thrust instead of the airframe exceeding critical angle of attack, the FDR will show thrust or N1/N2 decay before the airspeed and AoA trends that characterize a stall. In cases of dual thrust loss, airspeed decays as the airplane sinks; pitch may remain relatively constant or pilots may pitch up trying to maintain altitude, which can then precipitate an aerodynamic stall. Comparing time-stamped thrust-lever or engine-parameter channels against airspeed and AoA traces tells the difference between a primary power loss that causes a sink and an aerodynamic stall that causes lift loss. The CVR audio can corroborate crew recognition and actions during the sequence.

What the CVR adds that numbers alone cannot

Cockpit audio records the crew’s recognition, warnings, callouts, and any unusual noises such as stick shaker, clacker, or abnormal engine sounds. Investigators use CVR transcripts in tight coordination with FDR plots to establish whether crews saw warnings, executed appropriate memory items and checklists, or were confused by conflicting indications. For safety and legal reasons transcripts are tightly controlled by Annex 13 protocols, but they are indispensable to understand human performance in a time-compressed event like a takeoff emergency.

Recorder survivability and data recovery practicalities

Modern combined recorders on large transports are built to high crashworthiness standards and are designed to survive impact and fire so the data can be retrieved, but severe damage or contamination can complicate extraction. Investigative authorities will secure the units, preserve chain of custody, and, where necessary, use specialist facilities to extract and validate the memory modules. If a state lacks local capability, Annex 13 expressly allows use of external labs with appropriate coordination and documentation. Expect a multidisciplinary readout team that includes the state investigator, operators, manufacturer technical advisors, and, when relevant, external agencies like the NTSB.

Pilot and operator implications — short, actionable points

  • Watch the energy picture on takeoff. Angle of attack, airspeed and pitch must be managed as a combined metric, not individually. If engines are suspect, prioritize maintaining safe airspeed and configuring to best glide or relight profile per the QRH.
  • Make deliberate, positive actions on critical switches and levers. Any switch or control that can be moved inadvertently should be treated with extra caution during high workload phases.
  • For operators, ensure the FDR/CVR readout and data-protection procedures are well practiced with your accident-response plan and that technical liaison channels to investigation authorities are current. Annex 13 sets expectations for cooperation and timely readouts.

What investigators will need to close the loop

To conclude whether a takeoff stall was causal or consequential, investigators will reconstruct timelines combining FDR parameters, CVR transcript, ATC recordings, radar and surveillance tracks, maintenance records, and crew training/rest histories. Only by layering those sources can the investigation separate primary system failures from human factors or procedural deviations and derive safety recommendations that actually reduce future risk. Annex 13 procedures and internationally accepted best practice drive this multi-source approach.

Bottom line for the flying community

If a report emerges later tying an Air India 787 to a takeoff stall, the black boxes will almost certainly contain the technical evidence needed to determine whether the root cause was aerodynamic, powerplant-related, or human factors. Until such verified data is publicly available through the accredited investigative authority, focus remains on sound operational discipline: energy management on takeoff, strict adherence to procedures, and clear, unambiguous cockpit communication. These are the practical controls pilots can apply now to reduce the risk of a takeoff upset being fatal.