Egypt Airline
990
A Story of Mystery and Tragedy
Main reason of
Airplane
Crashes
1. Technical failures in engines or critical
systems
2. Human errors during piloting or maintenance
3. Severe weather conditions like storms or ice
4. Collisions with birds or airborne objects
5. Fuel depletion or miscalculation of distances
6. External factors like attacks or terrorist
incidents
On a quiet October evening in 1999,
EgyptAir Flight 990 departed from
John F. Kennedy Airport in New
York, bound for Cairo. The Boeing
767, carried 217 passengers from
different nationalities, including
tourists and also some Egyptian
military officers who were in
America for training.
The plane took off from the airport
at 1 am after a long delay for
unknown reasons.
The plane was under the control of
the best Egyptian pilots. Captain
The flight initially went as planned, soaring
into the night sky at 33,000 feet. Passengers
settled into their seats, unaware of the
impending tragedy that would unfold just an hour
into the flight.
Without warning, the plane entered a rapid and
catastrophic vertical descent. Remarkably, the
crew managed to regain control and stabilize the
aircraft at an altitude of 26,000 feet. However,
their triumph was tragically short-lived.
Moments later, the plane plunged once again,
• Some sailors in the area near the crash site reported
hearing strange noises as the plane descended. They
described hearing a loud explosion-like sound followed
by debris falling into the ocean. Their testimony
played a crucial role in guiding search teams to the
wreckage, helping to kickstart the recovery operation
and investigation. Though their accounts couldn’t
pinpoint the cause of the crash, they were essential in
locating the wreckage swiftly.
• After an unexplained delay of one hour, the "human
frogs" began their search. During the search for the
wreckage, divers, often referred to as "human frogs,"
noticed oil slicks on the ocean's surface, which led
them to the crash site. They successfully recovered the
black box, a crucial element in solving the mystery of
The NTSB took control of the investigation
into the EgyptAir crash, including
analyzing the black box recordings, instead
of the Egyptian authorities. The Egyptian
authorities only assumed the investigation
much later, and the black box recordings
were not made public until 20 years after
the crash.
And after listening and reading the black
box records they came with 3 theorys that
may explain what happened to the plan.
• The First theory was by NTSB:
• The black box revealed the
co-pilot Jamel repeating, "I
rely on God," leading the
NTSB to suggest it was a
suicide mission. However, the
Egyptian government
immediately dismissed this
claim, arguing it was
illogical since the co-pilot
could have locked the
cockpit. They also pointed
out that Captain Ahmed was
helping him to regain control
of the plane.
• Additionally, the family of
co-pilot Jamel stated he was
in excellent mental health
and was even planning a
family trip after his return.
• It is also believed that the American
defense system launched missiles at the
plane after it was delayed from takeoff.
Another suggested reason for targeting the
plane was the presence of some high-ranking
Egyptian officers returning from training
in the United States. The pilot, Jamil, was
reportedly trying to evade them, which
explains why he kept changing altitudes
frequently. For this reason, he is said to
have turned off the autopilot.
• Aviation experts suggest that the autopilot
malfunctioned, a fault that had allegedly
occurred three times before.
• Could this technical failure have played a
role in the mystery surrounding the flight?
The story leaves us with more questions
than answers, shrouded in suspense and
uncertainty.
Thank you for Listening 🙏