Malaysia Jet missing-Officials conclude crash in Indian ocean/all lives presumed lost

[CedarMeter]

Keep your eye on kijiji it'll show up. Seriously though this is the first I've head of it. Was in Punta Cana for 2 weeks didn't turn the tv on at all. Very strange.

[MillerTime GFG]

Originally Posted by nik-

Yeah, like three posts ago.

Quality Fata then I'd say.

[Lanny's Stache]

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26609687

Article examines 10 of the theories out there.

[Envitro]

Not sure if FATA but it appears to be on this Top 10 above.

This one at least seems plausible:
http://keithledgerwood.tumblr.com/po...ing-sia68-sq68

[Muta]

Nevermind: Confirmed as inaccurate!

[flames_fan_down_under]

Chris Goodfellow's theory still seems the most plausible. A fire and an ensuing cascade of electrical failures.

I have submitted myself to the belief that this plane will never be found.

[speede5]

If this plane actually crashed I think it, or pieces of it will be found at some point. The only way I can see it not being found is a controlled crash landing in water, similar to the hudson incident, where the aircraft remains intact and then sinks without anyone getting out. Any severe impact to the water would destroy the fuselage and leave a lot of pieces floating in the water, some of which will eventually be found, reach a shore, whatever.

If pieces turn up, studying ocean currents could help locate the main wreckage, of course that all depends how much effort is put into this.

[Ryan Coke]

At this point I would be surprised if there wasn't malicious intent by someone which caused this. Based on the current most reliable info I doubt if it was 'merely' an accident.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by speede5

If this plane actually crashed I think it, or pieces of it will be found at some point. The only way I can see it not being found is a controlled crash landing in water, similar to the hudson incident, where the aircraft remains intact and then sinks without anyone getting out. Any severe impact to the water would destroy the fuselage and leave a lot of pieces floating in the water, some of which will eventually be found, reach a shore, whatever.

If pieces turn up, studying ocean currents could help locate the main wreckage, of course that all depends how much effort is put into this.

I highly doubt if this plane was in trouble they could pull off a Hudson River miracle, Sullenberger himself has said conditions at the time made it possible. Except for engine power he had no problems with control surfaces, a nice 15 knot head wind and of course it was daylight on a river.

To pull that off in a bigger aircraft at night on an ocean would be some kind of unreal.

I'm 99.9% sure pieces will show up if it went into water but since the whole world is coming up with conspiracy theories here's mine.

It landed on Sabu Island...and soon....the rest of the story!

[dissentowner]

[speede5]

Originally Posted by T@T

I highly doubt if this plane was in trouble they could pull off a Hudson River miracle, Sullenberger himself has said conditions at the time made it possible. Except for engine power he had no problems with control surfaces, a nice 15 knot head wind and of course it was daylight on a river.

To pull that off in a bigger aircraft at night on an ocean would be some kind of unreal!

Totally agree, just throwing out the only scenario I could see where you would lose an aircraft without a trace.

[KelVarnsen]

I would think a fire big enough to take out the electronics and incapacitate the crew would probably cause the aircraft to crash. The fact it flew for hours after the turn off the route doesn't really fit the theory.

Not to mention the 777 has numerous sensors and warnings to alert the crew.

[Tinordi]

I'm convinced it was the fire scenario. Makes too much sense.

[flames_fan_down_under]

I guess the only wrinkle in the fire theory is that it appears to be confirmed that the these U-turn coordinates were programmed 12 minutes prior to the "good night" sign off.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101505345

The change in direction was made at least 12 minutes before co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid said "All right, good night," to controllers on the ground, the sources said.

The fire theory, which was the most plausible one that I have read, states that these coordinates were entered as they were the ones that directed the plane to the closest runway that can accommodate a Boeing 777. However was the pilot just entering these in case of emergency 12 minutes before signing off then, boom, fire and and plane diverts from original course and chooses planned emergency landing course?

Does a pilot constantly update the nearest runways that can accommodate a Boeing 777 throughout a flight?

[Acey]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

Does a pilot constantly update the nearest runways that can accommodate a Boeing 777 throughout a flight?

Yes... it's good airmanship to know at all times what field you're diverting to if you have a problem. This is all established in your pre-flight prep by your dispatcher. You'll have 'equal time points', so say their first equal time point was half way across the Gulf of Thailand; prior to that point they'd turn back to Kuala Lumpur if they had a problem, and after it they'd continue to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (for example)

Even in easier in 777 with the new electronic flight bag (like all of Air Canada's) can do this automatically. They [maintenance] just program the EFB for the minimum length of runway they want the plane to land on, and the pilots will have a constant display of the closest suitable fields, and weather there. As far as I know, 9M-MRO did not have an EFB, though the flight management computer can already do this anyway.

As for having waypoints to said airport lined up and ready to execute? I haven't heard of anybody doing it specifically. But could it be part of Malaysia Airlines' standard operating procedure? Not implausible. Anything to add, Ryan Cooke?

[StrykerSteve]

CNN reporting that the FBI has taken the pilot's flight simulator and are examining it, due to the fact that the data has been deleted from it.

[JonDuke]

Press Statement from earlier this morning:

Opening statement

• Maldives authorities confirm report of the aircraft sighted is not true.
• Appealed to other countries to volunteer more satellite and radar data about the flight.
• Aircraft flew on normal routing until IGARI way point.
• All passengers, crew and ground staff handling the aircraft are being investigated.
• All passenger's background checks have been recieved from all countries apart from Ukraine and Russia.
• Some data had been deleted from the pilot's flight simulator and forensic work to retrieve this data is on-going.
• Passengers, the pilots and the crew remain innocent until proven otherwise.
• A high-level team fom Malaysia will immediately travel to Beijing to give briefings & updates to the next of kin on the latest situation, and on search and rescue plans.

Q&A

• DCA Chief dismissed a report that the plane was programmed to change course before the co-pilot issued the “all right, goodnight” sign off.
• One of the main priorities is how to manage emotions and how to appease the families
• Hisshammudin played down a report by Reuters which claimed investigators had a “working assumption” that the plane is likely to be lost far into the southern flight corridor in the southern Indian ocean.
• Both corridors are both equally important. But the southern corridor is much more challenging.
• Pilot's flight simulator data was cleared on the 3 February

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

I would think a fire big enough to take out the electronics and incapacitate the crew would probably cause the aircraft to crash. The fact it flew for hours after the turn off the route doesn't really fit the theory.

Not to mention the 777 has numerous sensors and warnings to alert the crew.

What is your aviation background?

[Burke Salad]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

Press Statement from earlier this morning:

You just solved the mystery, Putin is behind this! A distraction while he takes back the Soviet Empire - piece by piece!

[ken0042]

OK, my turn for a "dumb question."

Let's say there was a fire onboard. Would the following make any sense:

- Descend to 24,000 feet.
- Pilots put on oxygen masks
- Pilots disengage the passenger mask oxygen flow. (You'll see why in a moment.)
- Decompress the cabin to attempt to control the fire. (Like in the Val Kilmer Mars movie.) The reason to disengage the passenger oxygen is to not provide oxygen for the fire.
- Turns out the pilots shut off all oxygen including their own; leading them to suffer from hypoxia.
- Autopilot flies the plane on last course until fuel runs out.

Even remotely possible?