The bird strike had to have occurred at an altitude and distance from the airport that would have been before the flaps and landing gear was down. Typically a couple of miles before landing. The only explanation was that the plane was put into a descent mode on the flight director (which is liked directly to the autopilot) and allowed to crash.
The 737-800 is sophisticated enough to follow the ILS to a spot near the beginning of the runway. If the landing gear and flaps were down and the spoilers were armed, the aircraft would nearly land itself, only requiring the thrust reversers to be actuated manually and brakes applied.
For these reasons, I believe that one or both pilots were dead and the plane as deliberately allowed to crash.
“”For these reasons, I believe that one or both pilots were dead and the plane as deliberately allowed to crash.””
I understand and can definitely see why that might be a conclusion...pretty scary if true!
BUT also, what two members of the crew were pulled from the wreckage? I was thinking it would be those in the cockpit, Captain and FO but that would put a different slant on things. I assume there’s an FE on board a B737....
I saw a video in which an an aviation expert pointed out that one of the pilots had his arm outstretched to the cockpit front window, as if to protect himself from the inevitable crash . You can see the arm outstretched . I think the pilots were alive.
One of our FReeper pilots posted to me on another thread that the landing gear would normally be down at least several miles out.
However, some reports place the bird strike at ~1 km out.
That just doesn’t add up.
If the location of the hotel, from which the bird strike vid was made, can be confirmed at 1 or 1-1/2 km out, this is very strange indeed.
To clarify:
One of our FReeper pilots posted to me on another thread that the landing gear would normally be down at least several miles out.
However, some reports place the bird strike at ~1 km out. The gear was still up at that moment.
That just doesn’t add up.
If the location of the hotel, from which the bird strike vid was made, can be confirmed at 1 or 1-1/2 km out, this is very strange indeed.
“For these reasons, I believe that one or both pilots were dead and the plane as deliberatly allowed to crash.”
^^^ Definition of stupidity.^^^
NO evidence of dead pilots,
AND even more proof of idiocy why would ‘someone’ engage the autoland to crash the aircraft ?
(if they had enough knowledge to do that they could have just rolled the aircraft inverted, quicker, easier and with a more guaranteed result)