Missing Malaysian airliner.

[KidKruger]

Intrigued at this story of the Malaysian airlines plane gone missing.

I have no answer that covers all the facts being reported (comms switched off, change of direction, satellites tracking the plane for hours after last verbal comms).

Only thing I could come up with was some kind of fast depressurisation which rendered pilots unconscious and plane flew until it dropped, but that doesn't cover the comms switch-off.

Quite a story.

[PeckhamRose]

Lithium ion batteries - cheaply acquired ones usually made in China - should not be allowed on planes as one exploded inside a camera in an overhead apartment setting off a small fire.

Just threw that in for info.

MEANWHILE on this new thread. How did they know the comms were turned off before the last communication? How did they know it was the last communication if the communications were turned off?

As sad and tragic as this case is, it still gives me a tiny bit of - well, not happiness - but I am glad there are still some curiosities out there when USA and others would have you believe there is no escape and everything can be seen.

[KidKruger]

There was a last verbal comms with Malaysian air control, plus there was a seperate event when the signal that beeps location (or some kind of technical comms handshake) was switched-off. After these events had occurred, there seems to have been an extended period of several hours when the plane's existence (and very broad location), believed to have been during flight, was recorded by satellites.

[Loz]

The comms system can be turned off from the cockpit, but there is still a handshake signal that is sent every hour. This continued for 8 hours after the last communication, meaning the plane still was intact and had electricity. Only one satellite picks up this transmission, so an exact location cannot be determined, just the approximate distance (based on the ping response time) from the single satellite (thus the arc being shown on the newspaper maps).

I'm just waiting for Bruce Willis to turn up. It's the next logical plot twist.

[PokerTime]

Air disasters have always fascinated me (wierd I know) and I've lost count of all the air crash investigation docs I watched. One thing I would say is that it often takes months if not a year to piece together what happens. And when a plane crashes in an ocean everything is much harder. On the other hand, in the immediate aftermath, answers are sought and expected right away.

If the cockpit suddenly depressurised, it's possible that the pilots, in gasping for air and trying to grab masks, accidentally knocked switches, including the air comms. On autopilot, the plane would suddenly change course, but again, when a human is suffocating, they don't sit still.

But if the plane continued to fly, did anyone on board realise it was pilotless? I don't think there's any straightforward theory as yet.

[PeckhamRose]

Thanks for the explanations folks!

[Loz]

PokerTime Wrote:

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> If the cockpit suddenly depressurised, it's

> possible that the pilots, in gasping for air and

> trying to grab masks, accidentally knocked

> switches, including the air comms. On autopilot,

> the plane would suddenly change course, but again,

> when a human is suffocating, they don't sit

> still.

That was one of the original thoughts, but the plane seemingly moved from navigation waypoint to navigation waypoint, plus changed altitude a number of times, making it more likely that an experience pilot was still in control.

But, if you can overlook the horrible situation that a couple of hundred people are missing, it's a fascinating story.

[PokerTime]

That's interesting Loz. That also sounds like a lost pilot to me. And there have been many cases of pilot error, over sea, at night, that have led to crashes. Is is possible that after whatever happened, the pilot suffered from spacial disorientation? With no ability to make radio coms? Was he injured? Could he not seek help from the flight attendants? Or was someone else trying to fly the plane after the loss of the pilots? So many questions......

[Loz]

Seems unlikely - comms/locator turned off at convenient point between two nation's traffic control, sharp turn followed by movement from waypoint to waypoint... would all suggest that someone who can expertly fly a 777 is taking the plane somewhere preplanned.

The question is: did they make it?

[speedbird]

Agree Loz, the sequence was that the ACARS was switched off, then the co-pilot verbally signed off with Malaysia, then a short time after this the transponder was switched off. All seems well planned, though what has happened to the poor passengers we can only imagine their fear.

[JohnL]

Sounds more and more pre-planned to me too - and less like an accident (although wouldn't rule it out)

But where would they go, insurance fraud or terrorism and what would they do with the passengers.

Somalia was out of range I think ?

[maxxi]

PR stunt for new series of 'Lost'?

[DulwichFox]

I would think that an aircraft of that size would require a substantial runway to be able to land.

I do not believe therefore the aircraft could of landed 'undetected'

If it had landed at an established airport, someone would of known about it.

DulwichFox.

[PokerTime]

Hmmm. I'm not convinced. The planet is covered with radar and air defence monitoring systems. I just don't see how it could disappear all the way to the mainland and land without detection somewhere.

[speedbird]

There are 634 runways the aircraft could have landed on given the size required for a 777 landing (1.52km). That is spread across 12 countries.

What I don't understand is why the Captain signed off on enough fuel at the start of the journey for a further hour and a half on top of the intended journey length. Why wasn't this questioned? There are always factors that would make them make that decision, usually weather, head winds etc but from what I've read, there wasn't any adverse weather enroute.

A mystery....

[*Bob*]

We need to get our top crime casebook operative on this ASAP

Sue?

[Salsaboy]

I heard that they has found the wings, but speaking from their Bejing apartment, Mr & Mrs Wing said they had no idea where the missing plane was.

[PokerTime]

After reading this (yes I know it's the Daily Fail).... I'm on the piracy bandwagon!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2582146/Caught-CCTV-Pilots-doomed-Malaysian-Airlines-flight-walk-security-final-time-off.html

[Loz]

An interesting theory worthy of a Hollywood movie.

http://keithledgerwood.tumblr.com/post/79838944823/did-malaysian-airlines-370-disappear-using-sia68-sq68

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Just read this on Twitter: https://plus.google.com/app/basic/stream/z13cv1gohsmbv5jmy221vrfyiz3vdhbop04

[Atticus]

funny the way all and sundry suddenly become aviation/disaster experts simply by regurgitating latest theory put forward by various mediums.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

This was an interesting read :

http://keithledgerwood.tumblr.com/post/79838944823/did-malaysian-airlines-370-disappear-using-sia68-sq68

[KidKruger]

HMB - Langkawi emergency landing / flight path does seem a reasonable theory.

[Loz]

DulwichBorn&Bred Wrote:

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> This was an interesting read :

> http://keithledgerwood.tumblr.com/post/79838944823

> /did-malaysian-airlines-370-disappear-using-sia68-

> sq68

That's what I just posted DB&B!

Hurumph!

[Robert Poste's Child]

speedbird Wrote:

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> I don't understand is why the Captain signed

> off on enough fuel at the start of the journey for

> a further hour and a half on top of the intended

> journey length. Why wasn't this questioned?

I'm clearly no expert but when I did a nervous flyer course a few years back they said that for safety purposes they're always required to carry more fuel than they need.