Cypriot plane may have run out of fuel: source

AFP ^ | 16 Aug 2005 | AFP

[BallyBill]

This sounds like a Ron White stand up routine in the making. (sorry)

[jwpjr]

re: it was shot down

In today's world, especially that part of it, an airliner crash is the work of Muslim terrorists until proved otherwise. Used to be that cause was number 3 or 4 on the list, but in this century it's been moved to Numero Uno on the list. And that goes for TWA 800 as well.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Any reports of the cruising altitude prior to the crash?

Helios Airways Flight ZU522 [may have] decompressed at 34,000 feet

[MizSterious]

I know nothing about flying, so this might be a really dumb question. But how would running out of fuel cause the pilots of the plane to be unconscious, and the passengers frozen, as some reports state?

[buffyt]

Excellent question!

[Fitzcarraldo]

SUPPOSEDLY it ran out of fuel after circling a few times at 34,000 feet on autopilot, after the passengers and crew were incapacitated from the loss of cabin oxygen...LUCKILY it crashed into an isolated mountainside and not in the ocean or heavily populated area...

[MizSterious]

Thanks. It's all so strange--and yesterday the police raided the offices of the airline company, confiscating documents. Perhaps it's nothing much, but it sure makes me wonder.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Maybe they were trying to figure out who was really on the flight crew...

[Arkie2]

FAA regs require a pilot to be on oxygen above FL 250 if he's the only one occupying the seat. That would happen if the other pilot had to make a trip to the lav etc. The requirement for one pilot to always be on oxy doesn't kick in til FL 410 I believe.

[YankeeGirl]

I thought it cruised for some time prior to crash. I was wondering if the crew (or someone) got it to a lower altitude where there was enough oxygen to sustain life or revive the souls on board.

Or perhaps it was in a slow descent until it crashed and gradually passed through more oxygen-rich air? Just idle speculation on my part. A real tragedy in any event.

[Bigh4u2]

"SUPPOSEDLY it ran out of fuel after circling a few times at 34,000 feet on autopilot"

I have a real problem with that part of the story.

Why would a plane 'circle' on Auto-Pilot?

Although I've never flown a plane, I've always understood that Auto-Pilot, once engaged, continued to fly on the heading the plane was currently at.

What would make the pilot turn the plane into a 'circular' path and then activate the Auto-Pilot?

It doesn't make sense.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Yes, before this I thought auto-pilot was used only during cruise while the plane is on a fixed heading and altitude...how long does it take to fly from Cyprus to Athens?

Has anyone seen a detailed graphic depicting the flight path from takeoff to crash?

[AmericanDave]

One crewmember has to be on oxygen if the other leaves the cockpit, leaving just one pilot at the controls. Or if they are flying above 41,000 feet.

[COEXERJ145]

Most autopilots can do far more than fly in a straight line.

[Bigh4u2]

"Yes, before this I thought auto-pilot was used only during cruise while the plane is on a fixed heading and altitude..."

Exactly!

So the plane 'circling on Auto-Pilot' just doesn't make any sense.

[AmericanDave]

If they didn't do a lot of circles, they weren't carrying much extra fuel for that flight, to run out so close to their destination like that.

[Bigh4u2]

But circle?

What would be the purpose?

Especially since they were on 'approach' to the air field?

[mewzilla]

Well, at least they're not trotting out the Flying Frozen Butterball Hypothesis.

[mewzilla]

Wasn't the flight going on to Prague? Were they scheduled to refuel at Athens? If not, unless they sprang a leak, they should've had plenty of fuel.

[AmericanDave]

It's more cost effecient to fuel only to each stop and not carry the extra weight. But they should have had about 45 minutes of fuel left at Athens.... more in bad weather.