5. It finally ran out of fuel and ditched without the gear being lowered. Since the gear was not lowered we never got the final ACARS data report.
100% layman here. Can the ACARS be turned off? Maybe that's why the gear down signal was never received?
Hello Upchuck. The ACARS was not turned off. It sends 3 reports during each flight made by the 777. The first report was sent at gear up (actually when the nose gear strut extends at takeoff). The second data report is sent when the pilot pulls the throttle back for cruise. That happened at 1:07 am per the LSM. The third and final report would have been sent at gear down at the end of the flight. It was not turned off. The gear never came down. The ACARS was working, gathering engine data, and doing its job during the entire flight.
The ACARS was NOT disabled by anyone onboard.