[safisoft]

What is SOP in selecting an alternate/emergency field?

"Nearest suitable" give great latitude to the crew. If you look at some of the released transcript, it shows that they got one engine running. They may have thought they were cool.

The fact that they got one engine running tells me that this is a common fuel pump issue. In many aircraft, once you cavitate, you have a new service ceiling - in most cases VERY low (around 10,000 in the aircraft I fly). I am getting a good idea that this was a fuel pressure issue, and cavitating fuel pumps.

[Robert A Cook PE]

They very easily could have panicked (AFTER even getting one engine restarted, or only started it - then lost it again as they tried to power it up/restart the second )....

Assume they were "trained" in double-engine failure/engine-restart procedures, would they have really seriously practiced all the steps any time recently?

Are those type of extreme emergency procedures "required drills" for an annual re-cert exam?