Originally Posted by HazelNuts39
Yes, but in this case, doesn't the last ACARS message tell us that the airplane was descending through an altitude of approx. 8000 - 9000 ft at a rate "greater, as an absolute value, than 1,800 ft/min for five seconds" at time 2:14:26? If the sending of the message due at 2:15:14 was prevented by a dual engine failure occurring between these two times, at ambient temperatures well above freezing, could it have been due to icing?
You meant this one?
ADVISORY CABIN VERTICAL SPEED (2 h 14) - received: 02:14:26
Actually it does not exactly say that the aircraft was descending (or climbing). This ACAR is pointing at cabine regulation system. In fact, the pressure provided by the PROBES is used for cabine regulation by pressure differential. It does mean that it is off regulation limit, then cabine regulation system canot work properly and should be manually regulated. So yes, it might be due to ice rather than aircraft rate of descent because aircraft rate of climb/descent can only be assumed by the system if the PROBES are correctly working, which was not the case.
In my opinion, the most critical information comming from the ACARS is that the aircraft stopped suddenly to send them after 02.14.