What he said was "He was flying faster (an unknown) and so likely the distance is shorter
What he said is correct, they FIRST computed he was flying faster (say based on radar returns, I don't think they explained how) therefore distance had to be shorter. You got it backwards.
rough consensus that the partial ping occurred at the time of fuel exhaustion
I don't know about any consensus (I don't live on this forum) but such consensus would have absolutely no solid facts behind it, just guesswork.