AirAsia flight QZ8501 from Indonesia to Singapore missing

[draftvader]

Unofficial radar image shows ground-speed at 353kts. Low enough to stall the plane?

[george]

Unconfirmed leaked radar image shows QZ 8501 at 36,300ft and climbing but ground speed only 353 kts: https://twitter.com/GerryS/status/549075001173766144

[bander]

"Mustofa said the plane had asked for an unusual route before it lost contact."

Unusual route? I thought the route was already given before takeoff in Indonesia.

Time for desktop detectives at TV to start investigating again.

[Strangebrew]

Lets hope only radio failure and all are safe.

[Lite Beer]

RT @ChannelNewsAsia: JUST IN: AirAsia statement on missing flight #QZ8501: Plane had undergone its last scheduled maintenance on Nov 16 http://cna.asia/qz8501updates

[cheeryble]

If intact and working it would have a glide range of ballpark 90-100miles in reasonable conditions.

Assuming battery/APU/wind turbine can run navigation and controls does that give them a chance of making it to a beach? (assuming visibility)

[Crossy]

"Mustofa said the plane had asked for an unusual route before it lost contact."

Unusual route? I thought the route was already given before takeoff in Indonesia.

Time for desktop detectives at TV to start investigating again.

Diversion for weather perhaps, lots of activity in the area, not remotely unusual.

[GentlemanJim]

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Why does every article say the aircraft lost communication with air traffic control? It's the other way around! We're not on the aircraft so we have no idea now if they had comms problems but we do know that ATC lost radio, data and radar with the aircraft.

Is it safe to assume that AirAsia has not spent the extra money on installing the tracking equipment that we heard so much about in the MH370 story?

It is safe to assume that very few airlines will unless it is mandated and unless it is deemed mandatory why should they?

[george]

AirAsia flight QZ8501: Pilot asked to fly at higher altitude to avoid clouds

JAKARTA (REUTERS) – The missing AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501 had been flying at 32,000 feet and had asked to fly at 38,000 feet to avoid clouds, said an Indonesian official.

Joko Muryo Atmodjo, air transportation director at the Transport Ministry, told a news conference that the aircraft was between the Indonesian port of Tanjung Pandan and the town of Pontianak, in West Kalimantan on Borneo island, when it went missing,

It was bound for Changi Airport in Singapore at 8.30am on Sunday.

-- Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/airasia-indonesia-flight-qz8501-pilot-asked-fly-higher-altitude-avoi#sthash.WTJeLBcM.dpuf

[johnsonspot]

Personally once someone has posted RIP and talks about prayers, there is no need for another 100+ saying the same thing, it doesn't add anything. Facts are good updates.

Really? How about you and let people say what they want about this situation. Not everyone is a life-hating atheist.

RIP and my prayers are with any survivors and the families of everyone on board.

[george]

Link to google map of last known location of QZ 8501: http://bit.ly/1x9TyI9

[draftvader]

Link to google map of last known location of QZ 8501: http://bit.ly/1x9TyI9

That is a bit further north than I had it from flightradar. What's the source? Just curious because I have been measuring on google Earth and have come up 150km short (based off 90-100km glide) from the flightradar last known position.

[ChiangraiTony]

Peace be with the missing and strength and hope be with the families. Praying for a safe outcome.

[Lite Beer]

RT @W7VOA: STILL UNCONFIRMED MT @NST_Online: Missing AirAsia reported crashed in Belitung Timur http://www.nst.com.my/node/66736 #QZ8501

[NeverSure]

If that's the location then he was within reach of land IF he could see due to weather. IF he could spot a place to set it down...

I recall years ago a plane deliberately going down in water just offshore so that rafts could reach land.

[lostinisaan]

Please not again. If there's a god please make it happen that all are well and safe.

[george]

[draftvader]

If that's the location then he was within reach of land IF he could see due to weather. IF he could spot a place to set it down...

I recall years ago a plane deliberately going down in water just offshore so that rafts could reach land.

I'm confused. Though, technically, that could be described as East of Belitung it could also, more accurately, be described as South of Kalimantan. If that was the last known position it is strange that the wreckage is East of Belitung. You would have thought the pilot would have headed to an airport if there.

[slipperylobster]

Severe weather and a request for a different routing. Looks like weather trouble to me. There are still weather events that planes like to avoid. From the looks of the location and the altitude there is still a chance that the craft got down somewhere remote. I hope.

Is it possible all communications ceased at once? Lightning Strike? No warning?

[2046]

wreckage found according to RT:

[NeverSure]

Severe weather and a request for a different routing. Looks like weather trouble to me. There are still weather events that planes like to avoid. From the looks of the location and the altitude there is still a chance that the craft got down somewhere remote. I hope.

Is it possible all communications ceased at once? Lightning Strike? No warning?

Lightning strikes are incredibly common with no harm done to plane.

[Anon999]

Asking for an unusual route causes a great deal of consternation and raises the inevitable question WHY?

[lostinisaan]

From Guardian’s Jakarta contributor Kate Lamb -

According to Djoko Atmojo, acting director general of transportation -

At 6.12am the plane made contact asking to ascend to 38,000 feet because of cloud.

At 6.16am the plane was still on the radar.

At 6.18 am the plane went missing from the radar.

Last position of the plane was between Tanjung Pandan and Pontianak. 155 passengers, 7 cabin crew.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2014/dec/28/airasia-flight-loses-contact-with-air-traffic-control-on-route-from-indonesia-to-singapore

[longstebe]

RIP to all people on board.

Terrible news

[Habs]

Sad day indeed..

[NeverSure]

Asking for an unusual route a great deal of consternation and raises the inevitable question WHY?

Weather ahead would be the most common.

[jpinx]

From Indonesia National SAR official briefing:

(all times local)

05:36 QZ8501 departed Juanda airport, Surabaya

06:12 Contacts Jakarta center 125.70 at FL320, requests weather deviation left of M635 airway and climb to FL380

06:16 QZ8501 still observed on radar

06:17 Radar contact lost. Radio contact lost. Only ADS-B signal remained.

06:18 All contact lost. Only flight plan view on radar screen.

07:08 ATC declares INCERFA (aircraft position uncertain)

07:28 ATC declares ALERTFA (emergency alert)

07:55 ATC declares DETRESFA (emergency distress)

http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/553569-air-asia-indonesia-lost-contact-surabaya-singapore-4.html#post8799172

---

They waited 50 minutes with no contact before declaring any kind of emergency ?????????

[Galacon]

Been hearing a lot of issues related to Air Asia lately , I hope this problem get sorted soon .

[hansgruber]

RIP to all people on board.

Terrible news

They could have landed in the water and all be drifting in life rafts.

Don't be so quick to condemn them.

[Virt]

So sad

If miracles can happen i wish for one now.