Drawing on decades of experience with crashes around the globe, French officials will analyze thousands of pieces of wreckage, maintenance log books and other clues to determine what led the Airbus A320 to crash into a mountain, killing all 150 passengers and crew. Investigators lead by the France's BEA, an agency that investigates air accidents, will photograph, chart and document each piece of wreckage as well as the human remains. The recorder takes audio feeds from four microphones within the cockpit, documenting all the conversations between the pilots, air traffic controllers as well as any noises in the cockpit. Even if the two data recorders — often called black boxes, despite being bright orange — don't offer clues, experts are confident that authorities will still piece together the chain of events. If there is usable data on the recorders, that will initially lead the direction of the investigations, says Alan E.