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Comment by andrewinardeer

1 day ago

> it was one of the most horrific mass murder in history

This implies intent.

> One pilot asked “why did you turn them off?” and the other said “I didn’t.”

To me this reads like an unintentional error with colossol implications.

Are you suggesting there was malicious intent and then a delibrately crafted denial by the perpetrator?

16 comments

andrewinardeer

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sillysaurusx  1 day ago

I am, and I’m willing to stake my reputation on it. If I’m wrong, I’ll hang up my hat and never cover live news again.

Pilots are drilled from day one that the fuel switches are sacred. After a few accidents where one engine failed and the pilot accidentally turned off the remaining functional engine, the training was overhauled so that it would be impossible for it to be an easy action done by mistake. One pilot is required to ask the other for confirmation before toggling the switch, I believe. It wouldn’t be something you’d do from muscle memory.

  • janice1999  1 day ago

    > If I’m wrong, I’ll hang up my hat and never cover live news again.

    It easy to say that when you know there's likely no way to prove or disprove whether it as an accident or not. Unless a pilot left a note stating his future intentions, there's no way to determine their state of mind.

    • sillysaurusx  1 day ago

      Someone took their hand, pulled one spring-loaded switch into the off position, and then did it the other switch moments later. Is there any way that could be accidental?

      If there was no mechanical failure, the only remaining possibility is deliberate action. And if it was mechanical failure, we’d see an emergency air worthiness directive being issued, which we haven’t.

      9 replies →

kraigspear  1 day ago

The switches require that you pull them out, move them to the end position and then push them back down, and it was two switches. It could have still took off on one engine. This is essentially the turn off plane switch. It would seem to almost impossible that it would be an accident.

  • schiffern  1 day ago

    Not possible it's an "I bumped it" type of accident, maybe.

    It's quite possible it's a "performed the wrong muscle memory at the worst possible moment" type of accident. This is unlikely, but anyone who thinks such a mistake is impossible doesn't know anything about human factors.

    Unlikely just means "low probability." There are thousands of flights per day, so it's only a matter of time.