Originally Posted by
Lost in Saigon
Still missing is what time the aircraft was observed to be climbing through FL363 out of control without an ATC clearance.
Thanks for fleshing out the timeline. A couple of questions.
1. Is the part in italics a known fact, or a best estimate from information so far available?
(That the overall case here is an upset seems a valid baseline).
2. Where in that timeline does the data point of FL 363 fit in? Was it in or around the 06:16 time in the timeline below or before that? I ask with the following possibility in mind: The crew hears the approval to climb to FL340 and initiates climb but is already a bit busy with controlling the aircraft as they are having significant trouble with the weather at this point.
06:12
- QZ8501 requests left deviation from airway. Deviation approved.
- Pilot then requests climb to FL380
- ATC asks pilot to standby, due to nearby traffic and to coordinate with next sector (Singapore)
06:14
- ATC calls QZ8501 to approve climb to FL340
- No response received after 2 or 3 further attempts to contact
- ATC requests help from nearby aircraft to contact QZ8501
06:16
- ATC still cannot reach QZ8501
- Aircraft still observed on radar screen
06:17
- Radar contact lost
- Last reported altitude: FL290