Just stating what I overheard some AirTransat pilots saying about the incident. I cannot confirm that that is the actual case and we will have to wait for the official report to come out.
It would seem a bit more logical if there was enough height remaining after the second engine flamed out to arrive overhead and then descend from there for a deadstick landing rather than plan for a one off approach from some distance away.
This weeks Flight International has a report that says DeJager (the F/O) said that he made a fuel check at 0457 (z?) and at that time there was sufficient remaining. 28 minutes later, one hour before the fuel starvation he first reported a fuel problem and requested a diversion to Lajes. The emergency was declared 23 minutes later at 0548 and according to the report he told ATC that the right engine had failed 25 minutes later at 0613. Around 13 minutes later at about 0626 at FL320, 100nm from Lajes the left engine stopped. The crew prepared the a/c for ditching but made a flapless heavy landing 20 minutes later at 0646.
It would need to be verified what distance they were from Lajes when the second engine flamed out to determine whether they made the deadstick approach from some distance away or from overhead the field. Either way it will have been a high adrenaline exercise and having had to deadstick a measly C182 from 4,000' overhead an airport I do not envy those guys.
[ 03 September 2001: Message edited by: Capt PPRuNe ]