[jschick88]

WSJ saying MH370 was pinged for 5 hours now.

Communication satellites received intermittent data "pings" from a missing Malaysia Airlines 3786.KU -4.08% jet, giving the plane's location, speed and altitude for at least five hours after it disappeared from civilian radar screens, people briefed on the investigation said Thursday.

The final satellite ping was sent from over water, at what one of these people called a "normal" cruising altitude. The people declined to say where specifically the transmission originated, adding that it was unclear why the transmissions stopped. One possibility one person cited was that the system sending them had been disabled by someone on board.

U.S. aviation investigators said they were analyzing the satellite transmissions to determine whether they can glean information about the plane's location or status. The transmissions were sent via onboard technology designed to send routine maintenance and system-monitoring data back to the ground via satellite links, according to people familiar with the matter.

Among the possible scenarios investigators said they are now considering is whether the jet may have landed at any point during the five-hour period under scrutiny, or whether it ultimately crashed.

http://online.wsj.com/news/article_e...MDEwMzExNDMyWj