What Is the Black Box in Airplanes and Helicopters? 

April 18, 2025 | Personal Injury

What Is the Black Box in Airplanes and Helicopters? 

A black box is a critical flight recording device found on airplanes and helicopters. Despite the name, it’s actually bright orange and built to survive extreme crash conditions. 

These devices capture vital flight data—like airspeed, altitude, and control positions—that can help investigators determine the cause of an aviation accident. In many cases, black box data plays a key role in proving negligence or equipment failure. Read on to learn more.

Overview of Black Boxes

A black box in an airplane and a helicopter is a data recording device. The first black box flight recorder was invented in 1953. It stores information about an aircraft and its flight. 

After an airplane or helicopter crash, the information in the black box can help prove whether negligence or intentional acts played a part in the cause of the crash. Defective airplane parts or systems could have been at fault in some instances. 

A Digital Flight Recorder (i.e., black box) is usually installed on the tail of an aircraft. The aircraft’s tail is the last to go down in most aviation accidents. The black box tracks over 80 pieces of data, including altitude, positions of flight controls, vertical acceleration, and airspeed.

Black boxes are designed to withstand the extreme conditions of a crash. They can sustain high temperatures from fires and explosions. Black boxes can also withstand severe impacts and pressure from deep seas. The recorders are encased in stainless steel or titanium and insulated with material that can withstand high temperatures.

How Are Black Boxes Used in Aviation Accident Investigations?

Investigators use the data from the black box to analyze the moments leading up to the airplane crash. They use the information to recreate the circumstances leading up to the incident. By doing so, aviation investigators can identify the factors that contributed to the cause of the airplane crash.

In addition to helping investigators identify the cause of the airplane crash, the information in an airplane’s black box can help make aviation safer. By determining the causes of airplane crashes, the government can change aviation policies to make flying safer for everyone. 

Is a Black Box Actually Black?

A black box is not black. Instead, the box is bright orange, making it more visible in the debris field after an airplane crash. The bright orange color of the black box also makes it easier to see in various environments. It is essential to locate the black box, so using a bright color makes more sense.

What Information Does a Black Box Record?

Black boxes store information about the aircraft’s operation. The box can help investigators determine if various circumstances could result from external factors, pilot error, weather conditions, or the aircraft.

Information recorded by a black box includes:

  • Vertical acceleration
  • Cabin temperature
  • Magnetic heading
  • Airspeed and aircraft acceleration
  • Altitude
  • Flap settings
  • Control-column position
  • Engine performance
  • Fuel flow
  • Voices in the cockpit
  • Horizontal stabilizer
  • Ambient noises in the cockpit
  • Crew conversations
  • Public address messages
  • Air traffic control data
  • Interphone communications

The information recorded on the aircraft’s black box provides aviation accident investigators with information that can help them determine why an aviation accident occurred. Without the information on the black box, investigators might not be able to determine why an airplane crashed.

How Do Black Boxes Help With an Aviation Accident Claim?

Sometimes, a black box is the only item that survives an aviation accident. Retrieving the data from the black box allows investigators to reconstruct the moments before the crash. Recreating the moments before the crash helps investigators determine the events that contributed to the aviation accident. 

Identifying the factors that contributed to the cause of the accident is crucial to determining who is responsible for the accident. The parties responsible for the accident can be held liable for the economic and non-economic damages sustained by the victims.

If you are injured or a family member dies because of an aviation accident, you can file a civil lawsuit for damages. A Pennsylvania aviation accident attorney can help you with a personal injury or wrongful death claim. 

Investigating an aviation accident can be time-consuming and costly. Experienced aviation accident lawyers have the resources and skills to pursue these claims. Schedule a free consultation with an attorney if you or a family member was injured in an aviation accident in Pennsylvania. 

If you’ve been injured in a personal injury, please contact Marzzacco Niven & Associates at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today:

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