Date: 01 June 2009
Airline: Air France
Flight No.: 447
Aircraft: Airbus A330-202
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Fatalities: 228:228
Photographer: FAB
The aircraft departed Rio de Janeiro at 7:30pm local time (2230 GMT) for a flight to Paris. About 3 hours into the flight, the last radio contact was made with Brazilian ATC at 0133 GMT as the flight crew reported over the INTOL waypoint, estimating the next RNAV waypoint, TASIL, at 0220. At 0148 GMT, the aircraft left radar coverage, indicating level flight at FL350 and 453 knots.
At 0210 GMT, a series of automated ACARS messages began to arrive at Air France, indicating problems with the airplane's flight control and electrical systems. The first indicated that the aircraft's autopilot disengaged and the fly-by-wire system had changed to alternate law. Between 0211 and 0213 a flurry of messages regarding ADIRU and ISIS faults arrived, at 0213 PRIM 1 and SEC 1 faults were indicated, and at 0214 the last message received was an advisory regarding cabin vertical speed.
