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Us when the autopilot was set and where it was -- who set it. whether it was set from the pilot's side of the plane or from the co-pilot's side of the plane. >> greg how -- what is the likelihood of this plane being put into that descent accidentally? what scenario could have given us an accidental descent like that? >> there is no real scenario. this is a very prescribed descent rate. 3500 to 4,000 feet per minute. the speed looks the same across the ground. it's a consistent descent track. the fact that this airplane didn't stair step down it was on a continuous descent path that was program...

Allowed back in again when he starts banging on the door. and related to that the issue of what starts the descent. because you got -- >> also does the descent begin before the pilot leaves the cockpit. >> very unlikely. >> he's in a descent he wouldn't have taken that time. >> they would talk about why they are starting a descent. you're about to go the bathroom and see the other chance starting 3,000-foot descent you might comment. you would know about it. >> two options really are nefarious explanation, person who was at the controls, we don't know if it was the pilot or co-pilot. >> just t...

Likelihood of this plane being put into that descent accidentally? what scenario could have given us an accidental descent like that? >> there is no real scenario. this is a very prescribed descent rate. 3500 to 4,000 feet per minute. the speed looks the same across the ground. it's a consistent descent track. the fact that this airplane didn't stair step down, it was on a continuous descent path, that was programmed into the flight management system. if the pilot was incapacitated that remained in the cockpit, then the door should have been accessible to the pilot on the outside. there are pr...

Utilized, but if the door is placed into what is known as override, that prevuds the code from being entered at the door and it makes sure that the door in fact stays locked. now, to lester's point earlier. to get the airplane to descend into an airbus a-320, it's a matter of selecting a descent note, open descent or vertical speed. in the case of vertical speed you rotate a knob and you select a given descent rate. in this case it looks like it's 3,500 feet per minute and the airplane will maintain that until it strikes the ground. it's doing what it's commanded to do so lester you're right o...

I've done this rate of descent on a normal approach, or a normal descent rate into heathrow. we know nothing about it. the attack, we don't know if that was a factor. that's a scary factor but we don't know. >> let's not put too much emphasis on that certainly at this point in time. >> deborah, if it were some sort of omechanical issue one of the biggest question ss if it was problem specific to this aircraft for this e fleet, this a-320 fleet in general. >> that's right. and investigators are going to be looking very closely at that. one of the reasons why they really want to get those report...