Originally Posted by
abelenky
I don't think the new home simulator evidence, combined with the other facts (waiting until a frequency handoff, transponder to standby, multiple course adjustments) really closes the case just yet.
This scenario relies on Zaharie Shah being a successful, happy, healthy, well adjusted person, with no financial troubles and a good support network around him, having some sort of invisible, persistent, silent psychotic break over the course of many weeks: From whenever the idea was originally formed, to rehearsing it on his simulator, to actually executing it several weeks later.
That kind of invisible, un-triggered, long term mental crisis is almost unprecedented. There's been no evidence found of problems with Shah's health, finances, marriage, career, political views, etc.
Coupled with the total lack of a suicide note or manifesto, it is really difficult to accept this theory, and also makes other theories, however far-fetched, look a little bit more plausible.
Concur.
If the crew were overcome by a fire, but the autopilot kept flying until fuel exhaustion, I believe the FBW would still try to hold last-trimmed airspeed...which would lead to a controlled 230-ish knots descent into the water.
That might lead some to believe (based on large wreckage chunks that washed ashore) to say "deliberately flown into the water."