I admit — it’s fun to speculate on all the dramatic things that could have happened to the lost Malaysian plane.    Hijackers, an inside job, aliens — you name it, someone has been able to find time on the news shows to flog their pet theory.

I always like Occam’s Razor in these situations, and look for the simplest explanation.  And the one that makes the most sense and doesn’t require us to believe in some conspiracy is that this was simply a fire on board leading to a crash somewhere.

It explains the sudden turn (to get to the closest airport), the lack of communication, and the shutting down of parts of the engine that could be on fire.

Here’s a link to an article by a very experienced pilot explaining why this is the best explanation.

Now, are there other possibilities?  Sure.  And it’s fun to imagine them.  But sadly the most likely explanation is simple and not quite so exciting, though plenty dramatic.