MH370: The Plane That Disappeared (Netflix)

[XelaM]

Has anyone seen this new Netflix documentary about MH370?

It's just unbelievable that in our time a passenger plane can just disappear without a trace.

I find the conspiracy theories in that documentary totally bizarre, but I also feel very sorry for the pilot's family who has effectively been scapegoated without any real evidence that he brought the plane down. If it was a murder-suicide why would he fly for another 8 hours instead of just crashing into the ocean where he was? It makes no sense. It's also an insane coincidence that two of Malaysian Airlines planes suffered tragedies in the space of just a few months in 2014 - nothing to do with any mechanical issues on the planes.

Why do you think it was odd? Genuinely what leads you to that conclusion?

At the time philosopher Alan De Botton had some wise words, basically he said: Rolling 24hr news demands answers NOW!, we have an inbuilt concern over flying as it’s not natural, Smart phones and other tech aren’t as clever as we think, we've forgotten oceans are very big and featureless, and thirty+ years ago a long search for a plane was often the case (see rolling 24hr news). Basically we thought we had all of this sorted and this puzzle proves we don’t - which is a discomfort every generation that has gone before us felt and has now making us queazy.

I'm debating whether or not to watch this (I've seen the Air Crash Investigation doc) - is it worth watching do you all think (I tend to find Netflix documentaries rather style over substance).

@Namechangedforthisonetoday

(I think we’ve established on here before that our DHs have similar ‘backgrounds’ - correct me if I’m wrong!)

I think you're right...ATB to both of you.

It was a dreadful documentary

I would say it is a push to call it a documentary

It was essentially a load of nut jobs airing their mad conspiracy theories

I watched it but can't say I found it informative. Made me feel dreadful for the families. I don't believe that the plane was not tracked in some way. As the more French father pointed out, there are a load of American airbases there.

Thanks for the podcast link - I will listen to that.

Poor not more!

I dont understand why the FBI were involved, did Malaysia invite them because they didnt have the capability or is it standard practice to invite an outside investigation team to avoid cover ups? It was t made clear.

I didnt understand why something seemingly so important to the conclusion seemed to be not shared quicker.

This is so very true, wise words. I am often reminded of the film Tomorrow Never Dies. The insatiable demand for news, bad news, dramatic news, news full of conspiracies and holes. They must be keeping something from us! It’s only an ocean! Of course we can find it! In minutes! We forget that the most powerful force on earth isn’t smart phones, it’s not computers, it’s Mother Nature (well, excluding nuclear capabilities - but I hope people can see the point!)

I know that the theory that the pilot (i.e. the Captain) did it is the most plausible, but I have so many questions regarding not just WHY but HOW.

The pilot suicide cases I know of are:

The Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz on flight 9525. He waited until the Captain went to the toilet and then locked the cockpit and plunged the plane into a mountain range shortly after. The Captain was trying to break down the door to the cockpit to stop him, but because Andreas Lubitz crashed the plane quickly, the Captain didn't have time.

The co-pilot Gameel El-Batouti on EgyptAir flight 990 (although I know there is still slight dispute over this). He demanded to replace the original co-pilot who was meant to fly and then he also waited for the Captain to go to the bathroom. As soon as the Captain left, he switched off the autopilot and electronic controls and plunged the plane into the sea. The Captain tried to take back control of the plane, but again because the decent was so quick, the Captain couldn't stop it.

So in both cases the planes were crashes very quickly preventing the second pilot or crew from being able to do anything.

In the case of MH370, the plane flew for another 8 hours off course. How is it possible that the Captain could just calmly fly the plane for a whole 8 hours in the opposite direction without the co-pilot or crew being able to do anything? It's a very risky plan.

Also, in both of my above examples people were not surprised that those pilots did this and whereas here those who have worked with the Captain in Malaysian Airlines were all adamant he didn't do it. Even the stewardess in the Netflix documentary who lost her husband in MH370. Why would he suddenly out of the blue plan such an elaborate heinous act after an exemplary career and seemingly no personal problems?

I'm clutching at straws, but is there any possibility at all that there could have been some mechanical issue of the plane and the pilot was trying to return the flight back to the original airport but couldn't?

It's also an insane coincidence that a very safe large airline lost two passenger planes within the space of 4 months! It's almost like someone was trying to bring down the airline.

😂😂

I don't believe that the plane was not tracked in some way. As the more French father pointed out, there are a load of American airbases there.

No there really aren't, not in that part of the world.

Plot a great circle course south west'ish from where the aircraft was last plotted on primary radar and there's pretty much stuff all until the Antarctic.

As for tracking....Primary radar can see maybe a couple of hundred miles, secondary radar is useless doesn't work if the aircraft side of the system is turned off, similarly for kit like Satcom and the datalink comms.

Practically the reality is it is very easy for an aircraft to "go dark" over oceanic airspace (even somewhere busy like the Atlantic) if the required equipment is turned off or otherwise disabled.

Apologies for the typos

Sometimes other government intervention is necessary where the ‘host’ country don’t have the equipment, experience, knowledge or capability to go it alone. There are many reasons why it isn’t in the public interest to share those reasons. It can potentially put the host in a vulernable position. Depending on the findings, the supporting country can be put in the firing line (shooting the messenger so to speak). Some things just aren’t up for public discussion. That’s the way it is.

@XelaM

I'm clutching at straws, but is there any possibility at all that there could have been some mechanical issue of the plane and the pilot was trying to return the flight back to the original airport but couldn't?

The only way out theory, as in 1:0^9 or smaller is the the one I mentioned upthread about the flight crew oxygen bottle..not much else.

How is it possible that the Captain could just calmly fly the plane for a whole 8 hours in the opposite direction without the co-pilot or crew being able to do anything?

If you insist/since you ask - lock flight deck door, stick oxygen mask on, dumps cabin pressure (opens outflow valves) turns bleed air and A/C packs off).

Possibly climbs to very high level to increase/accelerate the detrimental effects .....Then waits for pax/cabin crew Oxy to run out (Flight crew oxygen will usually last much longer than the cabin supply).

FWIW some of the primary radar height finding data indicated the aircraft climbed to an unusually high altitude at times, which supports the above.

It's also an insane coincidence that a very safe large airline lost two passenger planes within the space of 4 months! It's almost like someone was trying to bring down the airline.

With regard to one of those loses - MH management ignored risk assessments and for cost reasons insisted on continuing to route flights over a active warzone....that was insane/irresponsible and is an insight into MH management culture, but not much else.

Yy - it was very clear from the outset what happened to the MH plane that was shot down

It's not informative in any way and if you've watched other documentaries about MH370, this one will not add anything except some bizarre conspiracy theories that make no sense.

I’m not the best with flying anyway so usually don’t watch plane things but have started watching this and was trying to find this thread last night. I do feel bad for the captain’s family but it’s a weird one because he either did that and is guilty and we’re all feeling sorry for him or he’s innocent and people still think he did it which is horrible as he’ll never be proven that he hasn’t. He doesn’t appear to have any reason to have done something though, it’s so strange. I’m baffled by the fact you could just open that hatch and basically control the entire plane from down there, not even so much as a lock on it. Surely that isn’t the case now?!

If that were so how would you explain that all the tracking type systems didn't get switched off at once? How did the attackers get the plane into an area of featureless ocean so wreckage wasn't found quickly and how was it shot down? If you accept it was over the remote ocean the attacking aircraft would have been on a one trip as well. Oh yes and why?

@notimagain Thank you for explaining. It's just hard to believe that someone who would do something so elaborate and so unbelievably evil, wouldn't have left some kind of trace or clue as to WHY.

I also feel sorry for pilots who are at times unjustly blamed for accidents like the horrible Russian passenger plane collision with the DHL plane over Überlingen in 2002 that killed 52 children. The pilots got all the blame originally, whereas it was the air traffic controller's fault. I know he was later killed by the father of two of the kids who died on the plane with their mum.

Yeah I don't get why he'd keep flying until petrol ran out.. why not just down it. Unless he wanted to quietly reflect on life.

But yeah, I think maybe he did an ocean landing and let it sink, so no debris

I'm watching it now .

I'm don't think there is (or ever was) any doubt that the Russians shot it down.

As to why, I think it was an accident. But once they made the mistake and shot it down, they tried to blame it on Ukraine as usual.

I meant the other MH plane, not MH370!

I don't think*

This is the strangest part for me. Why continue to fly for another 8 hours?