Latest update:

Update: August 05 2015

A part, obviously an aircraft part two meters long, was discovered washed ashore on the Island of Reunion (Reunion) on Jul 29th 2015. This discovery stirred intense debate throughout the planet about whether this could be a part of MH-370, a Boeing 777-200 or not, in particular whether the part could be a inboard Flaperon of a Boeing 777-200. There are conflicting views stating the similiarities with the mechanical drawings of the flaperon are striking, others mention the reported dimensions and proportions of the part don't match. Other views are this could be part of a tail plane.

The location at Reunion would not be unexpected, according to drift models and the travel of buoys over the last 16 months, for a part of MH-370.

Malaysia's Department of Transport announced on Jul 30th 2015, that they have dispatched a team of experts to Reunion to determine whether the part found could indeed be a part of the still missing flight MH-370. Malaysia's Minister of Transport cautioned: "until there is tangible and irrefutable evidence that the flaperon does belong to the missing aircraft, it would be premature to speculate."

Australia's Transport Minister said in a press conference, that the part carries a label "BB670", which is neither a part number nor registration number, but perhaps might be a maintenance number. French and Malaysian Specialists are on their way to establish whether the part could belong to MH-370.

On Aug 2nd 2015 Malaysia's Transport Ministry announced that the aircraft part found on Jul 29th 2015 at Reunion has been officially identified as a flaperon of a Boeing 777, further examination is under way to determine whether the flaperon belonged to 9M-MRO, the Boeing 777-200 that went missing on flight MH-370. The part has been taken to Toulouse and has been identified as a flaperon by experts of French Authorities, experts from Boeing, the NTSB, Malaysia Airlines and Malaysia's Accident Investigation Team. Malaysia has been reaching out of Aviation Authorities in the region to watch out in case more debris is being washed ashore which would permit more substantial analysis and perhaps more clues what happened to missing MH-370.

On Aug 2nd 2015 a new media frenzy occurred when highly reputed media and yellow press reported another aircraft part, an aircraft door, had been found. Malaysia's Ministry of Transport as well as Reunion Police identified that part as a domestic ladder and said, other debris also found so far have nothing to do with an aircraft.

On Aug 5th 2015 Malaysia's Minister of Transport reported the debris recovered from Reunion on Jul 29th 2015, already identified as a flaperon of a Boeing 777, has been identified to have been part of 9M-MRO, flight MH-370.

Malaysia's Premier Minister said in a TV speech on Aug 5th 2015:
On 8 March 2014, flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared. The days, weeks and months that followed have been a period of torment for the families of those on board.
The plane’s disappearance was without precedent. At every stage, we followed the tiny amount of evidence that existed. But, despite the efforts of 26 nations and the largest search in aviation history, from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean, the plane could not be located.
Neither could investigations by the world’s leading aviation experts answer why MH370 veered off course and went dark. While the plane’s disappearance remained a mystery, we have shared the anguish of those who could find no comfort.
Last week, on 29th July, we were informed by the French authorities that part of an aircraft wing had been found on Reunion, the French island in the Indian Ocean.
Today, 515 days since the plane disappeared, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that an international team of experts have conclusively confirmed that the aircraft debris found on Reunion Island is indeed from MH370.
We now have physical evidence that, as I announced on 24th March last year, flight MH370 tragically ended in the southern Indian Ocean.
This is a remote, inhospitable and dangerous area, and on behalf of Malaysia I would like to thank the many nations, organisations and individuals who have participated in the search.
The burden and uncertainty faced by the families during this time has been unspeakable. It is my hope that this confirmation, however tragic and painful, will at least bring certainty to the families and loved ones of the 239 people onboard MH370. They have our deepest sympathy and prayers.
I would like to assure all those affected by this tragedy that the government of Malaysia is committed to do everything within our means to find out the truth of what happened. MH370’s disappearance marked us as a nation. We mourn with you, as a nation.
And I promise you this: Malaysia will always remember and honour those who were lost onboard MH370.

On Aug 6th 2015 China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the flaperon found on Jul 29th 2015 in Reunion has been identified to have been part of flight MH-370. The find confirms the investigation results so far and confirms the aircraft ended in the South Indian Ocean. China requests Malaysia to continue the search for MH-370 and identify the reasons of why the aircraft was lost.

Update: May 30 2014

On May 29th 2014 Australia's Joint Aviation Coordination Centre announced that Bluefin-1 has completed the search within the defined area of 850 square miles without locating debris.

The JACC stated: "no signs of aircraft debris have been found by the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle since it joined the search effort" and later stated: "The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has advised that the search in the vicinity of the acoustic detections can now be considered complete and in its professional judgement, the area can now be discounted as the final resting place of MH370."

The JACC stated that activities continue to locate the aircraft in three areas:

• review all existing satellite and radar data to define a 60.000 square miles search area in the South Indian Ocean
• a bathymetric survey to map the ocean floor, which has already begun and is estimated to take 3 months
• acquisition of specalist help to search the ocean floor

The search on the ocean floor is going to commence in August and is estimated to take about 12 months.

MH 370 PRELIMINARY REPORT (SERIAL 03/2014)

Aircraft Type & Registration: Boeing 777-2H6ER, 9M-MRO

Year of Manufacture: 29th May 2002

State of Registration: Malaysian

No & Type of Engines: 2 Rolls Royce RB211 Trent 892B17

Location: Unknown (Last known Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) return, Waypoint IGARI)

Date & Time (Local Time) 8 March 2014 & Unknown (last known SSR return at 01:21:13 hours)

Operator: Malaysian Airlines (MAS)

Call-sign: MH 370

Type of Flight: Scheduled (Commercial Air Transport), IFR Persons on Board: 227 passengers + 12 crew

The investigation At 01:38 hours Malaysian Time (MYT, footnote: Malaysian Time (MYT) is Universal Coordinated Time (UTC)+ 8 hours) on 8 March 2014 (Saturday), a Boeing 777-2H6ER, registration 9M-MRO,and call-sign MH 370 with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board, was reported missing after passing waypoint IGARI (footnote: Waypoint Igari is located at Latitude N6 degrees 56.87 minutes and Longitude E103 degrees 34.63 minutes) while en-route from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Beijing, China.

The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Malaysia was informed that flight MH370 was missing and an investigation was launched.

In accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 13 Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation, and Malaysian Civil Aviation Regulation 1996 Part XII Investigation of Accidents and with established international arrangements, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the USA, representing the State of Design and Manufacture of the aircraft, has appointed an Accredited Representative to participate fully in the investigation.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) of the United Kingdom, representing the State of Design and Manufacture for the engines, has also appointed an Accredited Representative.

The NTSB Accredited Representative is supported by a team of technical advisers from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing.

The AAIB Accredited Representative is supported by technical advisers from Rolls- Royce and Inmarsat the operator of a Satellite which was in communication contact with the aircraft during the flight.

The Australian and Chinese Governments have also appointed Accredited Representatives in accordance with ICAO Annex 13, Para 5.23.

Malaysian Airlines (MAS) the operator, is cooperating with the investigation and providing expertise as required and the DCA Malaysia are being kept informed of developments.

History of the flight

At 00:41:43 MYT on 8 March 2014 (Saturday), MH 370 took off from Runway 32R at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on a scheduled flight to Beijing, China. At 00:42:07 MYT, MH 370 was cleared to climb to Flight Level (FL, footnote: At altitude above 11,000 feet in Malaysia, an aircraft altitude above sea level is referred to as a Flight Level (FL). FL 180 equals to 18,000 feet.) 180 and was issued a direct track by LUMPUR APPROACH at Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre (KLATCC) to waypoint IGARI. MH 370 was transferred to LUMPUR RADAR at KLATCC at 00:42:52 MYT. The flight was then cleared to climb to FL 250 at 00:46:51 MYT and subsequently to FL 350 at 00:50:06 MYT. MH 370 reported maintaining FL 350 at 01:01:16 MYT and reported maintaining FL 350 again at 01:07:55 MYT.

At 01:19:24 MYT LUMPUR RADAR at KLATCC instructed MH370 to contact HO CHI MINH Air Traffic Control Centre (HCMATCC) on radio frequency 120.9 MHz. MH 370 acknowledged with "good night Malaysian Three Seven Zero".

At 01:21:04 MYT, MH370 was observed on the radar screen at KLATCC as it passed over waypoint IGARI. At 01:21:13 MYT the radar label for MH 370 disappeared from the radar screen at LUMPUR RADAR KLATCC.

At 01:38 MYT HCMATCC made a query to KLATCC on the whereabouts of MH 370.

Thereafter KLATCC initiated efforts involving MAS OPS Center, Singapore ACC, Hong Kong ACC and Phnom Penh ACC to establish the location of MH 370.

No contact had been established by any ATC units and thus the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) was activated at 05:30 MYT.

It was later established that the transmissions from the Aircraft Communication and Reporting System (ACARS) through satellite communication system occurred at regular intervals starting before MH 370 departed Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at time 12:56:08 MYT and with the last communication occurred at 01:07:49 MYT.

Search and Rescue (SAR)

Kuala Lumpur Rescue Coordination Centre (KL RCC) was activated at 05:30 LT after all effort to communicate and locate the aircraft failed. Search and Rescue (SAR) operations were conducted in the South China Sea where the aircraft position was last known.

A playback of a recording from military primary radar revealed that an aircraft with a possibility of MH 370 had made an air-turn back onto a Westerly heading crossing Peninsular Malaysia. The search area was then extended to the Straits of Malacca.

After ACARS stopped transmitting the satellite communication system automatically transmitted seven messages that confirmed that the system was still logged onto the network.

The last message was received by the satellite ground station at 08:19 MYT.

With the primary radar data, analysis of the satellite data and aircraft performance data, the Investigation established that flight MH 370 flew along either a Northern or Southern Corridor.

The last transmission occurred when the aircraft was on an arc of 40 degrees from the satellite.

Based on this new development the search area was moved from the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca to the Northern and Southern Corridors.

On 24 March 2014 further analysis of the Inmarsat satellite data, using the changes in the satellites communication signal frequency (signal using the Doppler Effect), indicated that MH 370 flew the southern corridor and ended its flight in the southern part of the Indian Ocean.

The investigation continues to analyse the satellite data and aircraft performance in order to further refine the area where the flight ended.

To date, a total of 26 countries have participated in the search for MH 370 comprising of 82 aircraft and 84 vessels.

SAR operations are on-going.

Safety recommendations

While the aircraft had the necessary communication equipment to provide information on its location, the last ACARS message occurred at 1:07:29 MYT, the last secondary radar detection at 1:21:13 MYT and the last satellite communication at 08:19 MYT on March 8th. Over a month after the aircraft departed Kuala Lumpur International Airport, its location is still unknown.

While commercial air transport aircraft spend considerable amounts of time operating over remote areas, there is currently no requirement for real time tracking of these aircraft.

There have now been two occasions during the last five years when large commercial air transport aircraft have gone missing and their last position was not accurately known.

This uncertainty resulted in significant difficulty in locating the aircraft in a timely manner.

Therefore, the Malaysian Air Accident Investigation Bureau makes the following safety recommendation to ICAO:

It is recommended that the International Civil Aviation Organisation examine the safety benefits of introducing a standard for real time tracking of commercial air transport aircraft.

Note

The information contained in this preliminary report is correct at the time of issue and is intended to inform the aviation industry and the public of the general circumstances of the event. Readers are cautioned that there is the possibility that new information may become available that alters this Preliminary Report.

This report has been written in accordance with the ICAO Doc 9756 AN/965 Manual of Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation.

Part IV Reporting

ACTIONS TAKEN BETWEEN 01:38 AND 06:14 ON SATURDAY 8 MARCH

The following table is based on recorded communications on direct lines, summarising the events associated to MH370 after the radar blip disappeared until activation of the Rescue Coordination Centre.

No. MYT Event
1 01:38:19 Ho Chi Minh first enquired about MH370, informed KL-ATCC that verbal contact was not established with MH370 and radar target was last seen at BITOD.

2 01:41:21 KL-ATCC informed HCM that after IGARI, MH370 did not return to Lumpur frequency.

3 01:46:46 HCM queried about MH370 again, stating that radar contact was established over IGARI but there was no verbal contact. Ho Chi Minh advised that the observed radar blip disappeared at waypoint BITOD.

4 01:50:28 KL-ATCC queried HCM if any contact with MH370. HCM’s reply was ‘negative’.

5 01:57:02 HCM informed KL-ATCC that there was officially no contact with MH370 until this time. Attempts on many frequencies and aircraft in the vicinity received no response from MH370.

6 02:03:48 KL-ATCC queried HCM on status MH370. HCM confirmed there was no radar contact at this time and no verbal communications was established. KL-ATCC relayed the information received from Malaysia Airlines OPS that aircraft was in Cambodian airspace.

7 02:07:00 KL-ATCC queried HCM on status MH370. HCM confirmed there was no radar contact at this time and no verbal communications was established. KL-ATCC relayed the information received from Malaysia Airlines OPS that aircraft was in Cambodian airspace.

8 02:11:37 HCM queried on status but KL-ATCC has no update.

9 [02:15] [no voice recording] (extracted from Watch Supervisor’s Log Book) KL-ATCC Watch Supervisor queried Malaysia Airlines OPS who informed that MH370 was able to exchange signals with the flight and flying in Cambodian airspace.

10 02:18:53 KL-ATCC queried if flight planned routing of MH370 was supposed to enter Cambodian airspace. HCM confirmed that planned route was only through Vietnamese airspace. HCM had checked and Cambodia advised that it had no information or contact with MH370. HCM confirmed earlier information that radar contact was lost after BITOD and radio contact was never established. KL-ATCC queried if HCM was taking Radio Failure action but the query didn’t seem to be understood by the personnel. HCM suggested KL-ATCC to call MAS OPS and was advised that it had already been done.

11 02:34:01 Watch Supervisor KL-ATCC enquired with MAS OPS Centre about communication status with MH370 but the personnel was unsure if the message went through successfully or not.

12 02:35:03 HCM queried about status of MH370 and was informed that the Watch Supervisor was talking to the company at this time.

13 02:35:54 MAS OPS Centre informed KL-ATCC MH370 in normal condition based on signal download giving coordinate N14.90000 E109 15 00 at time 1833 UTC.

14 02:37:36 KL-ATCC relayed to HCM the latitude and longitude as advised by Malaysian Airlines Operations.

15 02:53:51 MH386 was requested by HCM to try to establish contact with MH370 on Lumpur radar frequency. KL-ATCC then requested MH386 to try on emergency frequencies as well.

16 [03:30] (no voice recording) (extract from Watch Supervisor’s Log Book) MAS OPS Centre informed KL-ATCC that the flight tracker information was based on flight projection and not reliable for aircraft positioning.

17 03:30:01 KL-ATCC queried if HCM had checked with next FIR Hainan.

18 03:56:19 KL-ATCC queried Malaysia Airlines OPS for any latest information or contact with MH370.

19 04:25:23 HCM queried KL-ATCC on last position that MH370 was in contact with ATC. KL-ATCC queried if any information had been received from Hong Kong or Beijing.

20 05:09:18 Singapore queried for information on MH370.

21 05:20:17 Capt [name redacted] requested for information on MH370. He opined that based on known information, “MH370 never left Malaysian airspace”.

22 05:30 The Watch Supervisor activated the Kuala Lumpur ARCC.

23 05:41:21 HCM query for any updates.

24 06:14:14 KL-ATCC queried HCM if SAR was activated.

ATC Transcript

Cargo Manifest

The Chief Inspector of Air Accidents
Ministry of Transport
Malaysia
9 April 2014


(01.05.2014 - tho)