One small question in this tragedy...
Reports say it was 25 minutes (6:43-7:08 am) between take-off and loss from radar. While the maps show the distance covered to be ~25 nm, even allowing for a curved flight path.
Is that simply confusion between "left the ramp" and "left the ground" - or am I missing something that would involve a Metroliner travelling only 60 knots, net ground speed?