Air India crash: What are next steps as probe looks for ‘full picture’?

Investigators will look at witness interviews, airport conditions and the airplane itself in trying to determine the cause of the Air India plane crash.

From eyewitnesses and videos to the actual wreckage itself, those probing the crash of Air India Flight 171 on Thursday will try to get the “full picture” into what happened, plane crash investigation experts say, though it may take some time for the cause to be known.

That investigation is already underway, with investigators having collected one of the plane’s black boxes — the flight data recorder — as the search for more victims in the crash that killed at least 241 on board and more on the ground continues.

One man on board the plane survived the crash.

“I think it’s like any investigation … you start with the easiest, most obvious stud and then you dig down accordingly,” said Nigel Waterhouse, an aeronautical engineering aircraft certification expert.

“They’ll try to get the full picture.”

Waterhouse said the first thing investigators will do is interview witnesses “as soon as possible.”

They will try to get information such as if smoke was coming from an engine or loud noises were heard, as well as asking if the plane was climbing, diving or other “obvious things that people would notice.”

Videos taken of the plane and airport will also be looked at as it could give insight into what was happening at the time.