(Metrojet) Flight 7K9268 Broke Into Pieces Midair, Too Early to Determine Cause

Sputnik ^ | 11-1-2015 | Sputnik

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“After all, it was a Russian aircraft.”

I read yesterday that iut was Irish or Scottish owned, built in 1999. Who was responsible for maintaining it? I don’t know.

[FreedomPoster]

I’ve been saying bomb or poorly maintained 2nd tier Russian airline just falls from sky, flip a coin, from the beginning. You’ve added some likely specifics.

[null and void]

IIRC, French built, Irish owned, American registered, Russian operated, with maintenance contracted out to an unnamed party...

[wrench]

US owned, Irish registry, leased by a Russian airline

[RayChuang88]

I'd serious consider this possibility:

This is the Russian 9K33 Osa, often known by the NATO code name SA-8 Gecko. Many such mobile SAM systems were sold to Arab client states from the Soviet Union during the 1970's and 1980's, and the possibility of ISIS/ISIL-allied insurgents jury-rigging a 9K33 system to shoot down a jet airliner flying at cruising altitude is not completely far-fetched, since the 9K33 system can engage an airplene cruising at up to 12,000 meters (39,000 feet) altitude. Indeed, one really wonders did Islamic terrorists manage to quietly bring to the USA components of a 9K33 system, put it on a pleasure boat, and launch one to shoot down TWA Flight 800--something well with the capability of this SAM system.

[umgud]

Ya’all remember the Hawaiian Air plane that actually landed with much of its roof off? Looked like a convertible.

Of course, this could be a center fuel tank explosion.

[wrench]

First flown - 09. May 1997

[Snickering Hound]

Clock...

[JLAGRAYFOX]

The only way the tail could come apart is if the aft fuselage pressure bulkhead failed.....and I doubt that is what happened. IMHO, this aircraft was destroyed by a bomb planted on the aircraft prior to departure with an internal timer, or a remote timer that set off the blast at high altitude, blew out the rear pressure bulkhead, and destroyed the airplane. However....I personally believe...we will never get to know what really happened.

This was not a Russian aircraft. it was an AirBus A321, owned by an Irish Aircraft Leasing company. The terms of an aircraft lease always demand that the lease operator (airline) maintain the aircraft to the owner’s standards of airworthiness!!! This was not an aircraft maintenance problem!!! IMHO.....our world has gone mad!!! The Russians already know what happened and so does the the USA.....but....we will never hear the truth about it!!!

[SkyDancer]

Don’t know. But the way the report describes it as breaking up midair I would first hazard the guess it got over stressed with pressurization one too many times.

[jpsb]

First a321 produced was in 1994 so you are correct the a321 is not very old.

[windcliff]

lol

[Jane Long]

Maybe...from the inside out.

[PghBaldy]

Too many differences, so just a coincidence I am sure, but 31 Oct 1999 was the date the crazed Egyptian muslim pilot crashed Egyptair Flight 990 into the sea.

[Jane Long]

Thanks for the excellent aircraft viability and lease maintenance info. It would seem like Putin would want to expose ISIS, wouldn’t it?

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Hey that reminds me, were the pilots of 8501 Muslim? What about 9525?

I know in the case of the Germanwings plane I heard his girlfriend dumped him but not much else.

[RegulatorCountry]

Metal fatigue?

Seems unlikely for a plane built in, what, 1999? 16 years old?

[PghBaldy]

Considering Russia’s people or allies shot down a plane last year, there are many people who would have wanted to do this. I would not be shocked if it was a bomb, but the implications for the world would be concerning.

[AZLiberty]

MANPADs and Stingers can't reach that altitude of 33K FROM THE GROUND.

The altitude graph of the plane crashing showed that the "ground" was at 10,000 feet. The crash site has been described as a "mountainous area".

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

https://fas.org/irp/congress/2007_rpt/berger.pdf