Boeing 737 Max ?

[33JS]

The suggestion is a localised fire/detonation lead to loss of avionic control. No question the aircraft went nose down hard into the ground rather than broke up when airborne.

Nah. It'll be the MCAS issue that Lionair had. There are reports all over the web that the type is prone to pitch down when the sensors get mixed up. Many pilots saying they've had to intervene.

Boeing have built a new aircraft but 'grandfathered' the approvals. It's appears quite naughty!

[GraniteQuarry]

Nah. It'll be the MCAS issue that Lionair had. There are reports all over the web that the type is prone to pitch down when the sensors get mixed up.

Can't recall verbatim what's being suggested but it's along the lines of a local fire/detonation causing the apparent power cut to the MCAS which happened whilst still airborne. The pilots certainly had the 'override' training/knowledge but simply couldn't do anything with the avionics being dead.

Another theory kicking around is a fire in the wheel well of the landing gear which apparently is near to under-protected avionics, effectively a design fault.

[33JS]

Can't recall verbatim what's being suggested but it's along the lines of a local fire/detonation causing the apparent power cut to the MCAS which happened whilst still airborne. The pilots certainly had the 'override' training/knowledge but simply couldn't do anything with the avionics being dead.

Another theory kicking around is a fire in the wheel well of the landing gear which apparently is near to under-protected avionics, effectively a design fault.

Interested in your source as the discussions on PPRUNE and everywhere else are that disagreeing sensors force anti-stall nose-down pitching and the pilots are pretty much out of time to identify and act. Good article here: https://theaircurrent.com/aviation-s...n-the-737-max/ and here: https://leehamnews.com/2019/03/13/co...-transparency/

All the tech discussions here: https://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/...wn-africa.html

I don't see anyone, anywhere in the industry talking about fire...

[Pete D]

Can't recall verbatim what's being suggested but it's along the lines of a local fire/detonation causing the apparent power cut to the MCAS which happened whilst still airborne. The pilots certainly had the 'override' training/knowledge but simply couldn't do anything with the avionics being dead.

Another theory kicking around is a fire in the wheel well of the landing gear which apparently is near to under-protected avionics, effectively a design fault.

Afraid both 'guesses' are a bit suspect in my view. Any fire in the hold would have been picked up by the warning system, and would have been mentioned in the emergency ATC message (and recorded on CVR)..... Fire in the wheel well is unlikely after departure (aircraft brakes only usually overheat after being 'spanked' on landing or after a rejected takeoff - even then a fire is most unlikely unless hydraulic lines also break).....and avionics components are very unlikely to be placed there anyway; they are usually under the flight deck floor.