Information begin to surface on MS804’s aircraft automated messages (ACARS) containing aircraft warnings, faults, and status. It appears that aircraft may have had an in-flight fire and if so, the aircraft maneuvers could be due to Smoke Removal Emergency Procedures, which involves descending the aircraft to 10,000 feet and also opening the cockpit window.
The ACARS received were as follows (all times in UTC):
00:26 3044 ANTI ICE R WINDOW
00:26 561200 R SLIDING WINDOW SENSOR
00:26 2600 SMOKE LAVATORY SMOKE
00:27 2600 AVIONICS SMOKE
00:28 561100 R FIXED WINDOW SENSOR
00:29 2200 AUTO FLT FCU 2 FAULT
00:29 2700 F/CTL SEC 3 FAULT