Theories on the missing plane?

[Volznut]

I must admit I am puzzled. Here's possibilities

1 - It exploded in mid air. However, if that happened, satellite imagery would have picked it up, and there would be a lot of debrish, including large chunks of the plane, suitcases, etc.
2 - It has major mechanical or electrical issues and crashed. However, same applies - where is the debris?
3 - Pilots in on it, and crashed it as an act of terrorism - does not seem likely, and the debris would be huge
4 - Plane was hijacked and taken somewhere. The transponder was off - forced to turn it off? The plane did veer off course, but how did it escape detection, and where did it go? A plane that big can't just land anywhere. Plus, hijackers make demands, no one has made any
5 - Pilots in on it and took it somewhere. Planned in advance. Plane has landed and can't be seen because it's inside a hanger or something like that. But... where could it land like that undetected? Why would they do that and then keep quiet?
6 - Lost is happening in real life
7 - Langoliers
8 Twilight zone

anything else?

[BanditVol]

It's in the drink.  Why is debateable...could be terrorism, could be another 777 malfunction, could be some other cause.  Just MO.

[Volznut]

right now everything is debatable. where is the debris?

[Clockwork Orange]

I must admit I am puzzled. Here's possibilities

1 - It exploded in mid air. However, if that happened, satellite imagery would have picked it up, and there would be a lot of debrish, including large chunks of the plane, suitcases, etc.
2 - It has major mechanical or electrical issues and crashed. However, same applies - where is the debris?
3 - Pilots in on it, and crashed it as an act of terrorism - does not seem likely, and the debris would be huge
4 - Plane was hijacked and taken somewhere. The transponder was off - forced to turn it off? The plane did veer off course, but how did it escape detection, and where did it go? A plane that big can't just land anywhere. Plus, hijackers make demands, no one has made any
5 - Pilots in on it and took it somewhere. Planned in advance. Plane has landed and can't be seen because it's inside a hanger or something like that. But... where could it land like that undetected? Why would they do that and then keep quiet?
6 - Lost is happening in real life
7 - Langoliers
8 Twilight zone

anything else?

I think a crash is more likely than 4 and 5, but those possibilities won't leave my brain. They're not very plausible, but then neither is a crash with no debris, no smoke, etc. Every possible answer requires a whole series of unlikely events. I feel for the families, but I am also just fascinated by what we're witnessing (or not witnessing, really) here.

[HerbTarlekVol]

As has been mentioned, the fact that there is no debris just can't be rationally explained.   

[Clockwork Orange]

As has been mentioned, the fact that there is no debris just can't be rationally explained.   

Ultimately my guess is we find that for whatever reason, the pilot veered way off course (in an attempt to return to Kuala Lumpur?) after losing his electronics, including all communications capabilities, and that the plane did crash. It hasn't yet been found because it's far outside the areas that have been searched so far.

I think that's the most plausible scenario but it still raises many questions.

[Volznut]

CO, you're probably right...but what if they never find it? Can you imagine?  

Also the black box not emitting anything is weird. They are designed to emit a signal when in water.

[PirateVOL]

I'm not sure the apparent lack of debris is demonstrative one way or the other.  Where did it actually go down.  Was it intact or otherwise?  Are they looking in the correct area?  Remember the jet that went down in the everglades (cargo fire).  Very little debris or evidence of a crash having occured, and they knew where it went down.

One example is whether there are primary returns indicating a course reversal or not? 

The news conferences to date have been noteworthy for, in my eyes, a lack of professionalism. 

[RIPLEYVOL]

Malaysian Triangle???

[Creek Walker]

It's a test run for the rapture.

[Jedi Master]

Ultimately my guess is we find that for whatever reason, the pilot veered way off course (in an attempt to return to Kuala Lumpur?) after losing his electronics, including all communications capabilities, and that the plane did crash. It hasn't yet been found because it's far outside the areas that have been searched so far.

I think that's the most plausible scenario but it still raises many questions.

Agree.  Plane eventually crashed after going far, far off course in its attempted return to Kuala Lumpur. 

[VOLMAN]

letting Putin know he best do a crawfish or O is gonna fry him. 

[HerbTarlekVol]

So, has it been found?

Warning:  The guy in the video is hard to listen to.  He doesn't talk like we do.   

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/12/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane/index.html

[BGHarper]

I must admit I am puzzled. Here's possibilities

1 - It exploded in mid air. However, if that happened, satellite imagery would have picked it up, and there would be a lot of debrish, including large chunks of the plane, suitcases, etc.
2 - It has major mechanical or electrical issues and crashed. However, same applies - where is the debris?
3 - Pilots in on it, and crashed it as an act of terrorism - does not seem likely, and the debris would be huge
4 - Plane was hijacked and taken somewhere. The transponder was off - forced to turn it off? The plane did veer off course, but how did it escape detection, and where did it go? A plane that big can't just land anywhere. Plus, hijackers make demands, no one has made any
5 - Pilots in on it and took it somewhere. Planned in advance. Plane has landed and can't be seen because it's inside a hanger or something like that. But... where could it land like that undetected? Why would they do that and then keep quiet?
6 - Lost is happening in real life
7 - Langoliers
8 Twilight zone

anything else?

9-Nick Saban is to blame.


BG

[PirateVOL]

We really were trying to avoid the OBVIOUS

[73Volgrad]

I am  astounded I have not seen any of the UFO/ancient alien/current alien nut jobs claiming the plane was taken/abducted.  This is such an easy answer. It cannot be proven or disproved.  Why no sign of debris or call for help? Aliens!!!!
It makes as much sense as some of the explanations I have heard from experts(?).

[HerbTarlekVol]

9-Nick Saban is to blame.


BG

Thought it was George Bush's fault? 

[murfvol]

It's a big world, so no debris is understandable.  No mayday call seems strange, though they could have flown directly into a mountain. That having been said, a hijacking and hidden landing seems plausible.

[BGHarper]

Thought it was George Bush's fault?  

Herb,yep, before CNN gets through with this, it will be!

Awaiting a new Michael Moore documentary concurring this was all on Bush. Note if he did, (you know, not really that much more unbelievable than his others) it will be a favorite for an Academy Award.


BG

[Volznut]

Ok guys, let's not turn this into political BS.

Getting back to the subject - looks like they think the plane flew 4-5 more hours, and was landed?

If that is the case, it sounds like the pilots were in on it (they are muslims), and since it is practically impossible to do what they did on 9/11 now, they decided to steal a plane. They need to find it.

[Clockwork Orange]

Ok guys, let's not turn this into political BS.

Getting back to the subject - looks like they think the plane flew 4-5 more hours, and was landed?

If that is the case, it sounds like the pilots were in on it (they are muslims), and since it is practically impossible to do what they did on 9/11 now, they decided to steal a plane. They need to find it.

If that's the case I return to an earlier thought . . . where in the hell could it have been landed? It's not like you can just land a 777 in a flat grassy field somewhere (or like there are many grassy fields on the islands around Malaysia).

[Volznut]

If that's the case I return to an earlier thought . . . where in the hell could it have been landed? It's not like you can just land a 777 in a flat grassy field somewhere (or like there are many grassy fields on the islands around Malaysia).

The middle east/Pakistan/Indonesia has many airports. Remember the plane was going to Beijing so it would have enough fuel to go about 5-6 hours. They also took a big plane, which they'd want for maximum damage. It's almost impossible to hijack a plane these days the way it happened on 9/11, so this may be the alternative.

 I'd look at Muslim nations that have very little government or a govt. that will harbor terrorists. Indonesia, Pakistan, even countries in the Saudi peninsula. Iran may be too far. It will probably be hidden too, maybe in a large hangar. Obviously if this is what happened, it was planned way in advance.

[Clockwork Orange]

The middle east/Pakistan/Indonesia has many airports. Remember the plane was going to Beijing so it would have enough fuel to go about 5-6 hours. They also took a big plane, which they'd want for maximum damage. It's almost impossible to hijack a plane these days the way it happened on 9/11, so this may be the alternative.

 I'd look at Muslim nations that have very little government or a govt. that will harbor terrorists. Indonesia, Pakistan, even countries in the Saudi peninsula. Iran may be too far. It will probably be hidden too, maybe in a large hangar. Obviously if this is what happened, it was planned way in advance.

But getting to any of those places unnoticed would be awfully tricky.

[Volznut]

But getting to any of those places unnoticed would be awfully tricky.

They turned off the transponder, and they have been likely looking in the wrong place for the last 5 days. Yes the whole thing is tricky and risky - I hope if this is what happened that they screw up and we find that plane. As for the passengers, I'm not sure we want to know what happened to them in this scenario.   

[TheRealOrange]

They turned off the transponder, and they have been likely looking in the wrong place for the last 5 days. Yes the whole thing is tricky and risky - I hope if this is what happened that they screw up and we find that plane. As for the passengers, I'm not sure we want to know what happened to them in this scenario.   

Turning off the transponder does not make a plane invisible to radar.  Otherwise all military planes could easily be made to be stealthy simply by not having a transponder or just turning it off.  Most ATC ground stations have the capability to track both primary and secondary targets, which are synchronized.  The primary targets are aircraft not equipped with transponders -- the radar reflection off the aircraft skin.  Secondary targets are aircraft with working transponders.  If this aircraft flew anywhere near a ground station, it easily would have been tracked on radar.  I agree with Clockwork that getting to any the places mentioned unnoticed would be difficult, as they would have been near numerous ground stations enroute, and they even would have been visible to the naked eye (and ear) at some point.  Even assuming that the plane actually flew 4-5 more hours, to stay out of radar range it would have had to stay out over the open ocean away from ground stations.  It is a mystery though, so I guess most anything is possible.