Fire in the Sky
Last October, a Qantas A330 plunged 650 feet in a few seconds after a computer malfunction which was possibly triggered by electrical interference.
More than 50 people were injured in the incident which happened suddenly at 37,000 feet over Western Australia.
The air data computer, which is supposed to correct mistakes by the pilot, sent the A330 into a very steep dive. The computer mistakenly thought that the pilot was trying to climb too fast.
In fact the aircraft was level and cruising normally.
The pilot managed to regain control and pull out of the dive but not before all those not strapped in had been thrown around the aircraft.
One theory being investigated is that signals from a nearby military communication station interfered with the air data computer.
Jim Morris, senior solicitor at Stewarts Law, the aviation law firm which is representing 30 people injured in the Qantas incident, said: "Electrical systems on aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes. But it appears that the air data inertial reference unit on the A330 is more susceptible than it should be to electro-magnetic interference."
Reader Comments
There is also a thread on the forum which explores other possibilities. A chunk of space rock might have said hello, for example.
Forum: Air France Plane Goes Down Over Atlantic
Which could be factual and is not beyond the realms of possibility.
Assuming someone wasn't carelessly pointing their 'death ray' in the wrong direction and just accidentally hit a commercial aircraft that happened to be flying by. (Accidents happen. Really! They do! Honestly.)
1. Either there was someone of significance on that aircraft that was worth killing all those people for or.
2. This was a weapons test.
Lucky for them, nobody beleives they have the scientific or technical ability to take down a jet liner. And, of course they wouldn't do that anyway, would they? They'll probably 'discover' it was a stoaway mouse that chewed through a cable on the plane. If they have to come up with an explanation at all, that is.
I'm with Ruth on this one, and also wondering who was in the Qantas jet and had the luckiest escape of his/life when the pilot managed to wrestle back control.
I was involved with this story in late 90’s published in internet, at that time I red it as a pure science fiction and never thought about it again until recent reports about UFO observations around the globe and nowadays people see those like normal passenger jets flyby. Please pay attention particularly (the Rapture scenario), you’ll find it both scary and interesting and somehow might have a connection to this strange incident.
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I think this is an excellent observation. In fact, that's exactly what I though of when the accident made the news. The events seem very similar - e.g., the onboard error overflow and the plunge.
The question would then be - which base is the potential source of the signal? And will we ever find out.
This is worth following, methinks.
- Peculiar Semi-Admission: Naval transmitter may be factor in recent Qantas nosedive
- It Gets Curiouser: Computer error behind Qantas midair drama