From page 2 or 7 of the report:
<>At 1725 the aircraft deviated from the flight-planned route<>
Let’s see what that would mean:
16:41 — Kuala Lumpur Airport N2.73E101.71 — Takeoff.[0]
17:19 — Tansponder and ACARS dismantled.
17:22 — N7E103.7 [8 miles ne of IGARI N6.92E103.58] Last radar contact. [325 miles]
17:25 — N7.3E103.9 Aircraft deviates from flight-planned route and begins turnaround [+25 miles]
17:28 — N7.2E103.7 — Turnaround completed and now heading west to Penang. [+25 miles]
—— — Penang Island N5.3E100.3 [+268 miles] followed by a turn to the northwest.
18:22 — N6.6E96.3 — Heading northwest from Penang Island. Malaysian military loses radar contact with plane at this point. [+289 miles]
This would mean that it would have had to fly 557 miles [269+289] in only 54 minutes at a speed of 641mph — and that with a turn at Penang — and that is just not possible.
<>The final ATC (secondary) radar fix occurred at 1722 — At 1725 the aircraft deviated from the flight-planned route — The final primary radar fix occurred at 1822 (Figure 2)<>
16:41 — Takeoff at Kuala Lumpur Airport N2.73E101.71.
17:19 — Tansponder and ACARS dismantled. Last radio communication with pilot.
17:22 — N7E103.7 [NE of waypoint IGARI] Last ATC radar contact. [325 miles]
17:25 — N7.3E103.9 Aircraft deviates from flight-planned route and begins turnaround. [+25 miles]
17:28 — N7.2E103.7 — Turnaround completed and now heading west to Penang. [+25 miles]
17:54 — Penang Island N5.3E100.3 [+268 miles] Co-pilot’s cellphone connected with a cell tower here. Turns to the NW.
18:22 — N6.6E96.3 — Heading NW from Penang Island. [+289 miles] Malaysian military tracks it to here and then loses radar contact with plane at this point as pilot cuts electrical power and goes dark to evade radar. Averaging 619mph ground speed from turnaround — with an easterly wind. Continues manually another 72 miles at same speed and heading.
18:25 — Log On Request to restore power.
18:29 — After 7 minutes and 72 miles pilot turns SSW at ~N6.9E95.3 toward the satellite’s SW geo-position.
—— — Total miles to here: 1004 miles [325 + 25 + 25 and then 268 + 289 + 72].
Power to the autopilot and other systems restored after the turn.
18:39 — Unanswered ground to air telephone call #1.
19:41 — S2E93 — 635 miles @529mph with another smaller adjustment to South.
20:41 — S9.75E92.5 — 536 miles @536mph
21:41 — S17.5E92 — 536 miles @536mph
22:41 — S25.25E91.5 — 536 miles @536mph Autopilot disengaged at about this point to change speed and/or direction.
—— — Total miles to here: 3247 miles [1004 + 2243]
23:14 — Unanswered ground to air telephone call #2.
24:11a — S36E90.5 — 745 miles @496mph [same direction but slower speed]. Total to this point would be 3992 miles.
24:11b — S30E97.5 — 527 miles @351mph [eastward and slower speed to center of the search area]. Total to this point would be 3774 miles.
24:11c — S27.5E100 — 583 miles @389mph [eastward and slower speed to northeast part of search area]. Total to this point 3830 miles.
24:19 — Log On Request — last satellite communication — power off at end of flight.