The Helios Airways accident was not just an ordinary aviation tragedy. The way the aircraft flew on silently for almost 3h until the fuel ran out at the final approach fix, controlled only by the pre-programmed flight management system/autopilot, gave the event the aura of mystery normally associated with maritime stories like that of the Marie Celeste. This report is expected to reveal that all or most of those on board were killed by the impact, not by hypoxia. It may also clarify what the Greek air force Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter pilots who intercepted the cruising Boeing 737 over Greece actually saw happening in the flightdeck when they flew alongside. Two figures were seen in the cockpit besides the slumped pilots, one allegedly a male cabin crew member who was in early training for a private pilot’s licence. Investigators said at the time that someone in the aircraft had attempted to send an emergency call.
Source: Flight International
