MH370 likely spiraled into ocean without pilot control, report says

CANBERRA, Australia, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Australian officials on Wednesday said missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 could have spiraled into the Indian Ocean without anyone being in control in the cockpit.

In its MH370 -- Search and debris examination update report, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said flight simulations showed the plane was spiraling out of control before crashing -- descending at speeds of up to 25,000 feet per minute, or 284 mph.

"The right outboard flap was most likely in the retracted position at the time it separated from the wing," the ATSB said, which would reduce the "likelihood of end-of-flight scenarios involving flap deployment."

The ATSB's findings suggest no pilot had control of MH370 before its demise. After analyzing one of the ATSB's simulations of MH370's final moments, officials theorize an electrical issue led to the loss of engine power which also knocked out the use of autopilot -- causing the plane to descend in "both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions."

Geoffrey Thomas, an Airlineratings.com aviation expert, told CNN the ATSB's report debunked theories the pilot was in control.

"The really important news in this report is that the flap found in Tanzania was stowed. Therefore there was no way this airplane was being flown by anyone," Thomas said. "It was out of control, ran out of fuel and spiraled into the sea at high speed."

The ATSB said more than 42,000 square miles of the southern Indian Ocean have been searched so far. If MH370 is not found or if no credible evidence is found that could lead to a specific location of the aircraft, the search will be suspended after the completion of the more than 46,000 square mile search area.

The ATSB predicts the search of the more than 46,000 square mile area will be completed in January or February due to winter weather conditions.

MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, after leaving Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia en route to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board. Malaysian authorities concluded the flight had ended in the Indian Ocean, but no confirmed MH370 debris was found until last year when a right wing flaperon was discovered on Reunion Island, east of Madagascar.