The simplest theory yet about the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines flight.

It’s been 10 days since MH370 went missing.

And the longer the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight remains missing, the more complicated and involved the theories become about what might’ve happened to the flight.

Pilot suicide, cyber hijacking, terrorist plots and political activism have all been discussed as possible theories – and authorities are investigating every angle.

But a new theory from a pilot, as to how a Boeing 777 could completely vanish, may be the simplest explanation yet.

Chris Goodfellow, a pilot with 20 years’ experience, originally posted his theory of what might have happened to MH370 on Google+. He writes:

Pilot Chris Goodfellow has over 20 years experience.

A lot of speculation about MH370. Terrorism, hijack, meteors. I cannot believe the analysis on CNN – almost disturbing. I tend to look for a more simple explanation of this event.

Loaded 777 departs midnight from Kuala to Beijing. Hot night. Heavy aircraft. About an hour out across the gulf towards Vietnam, the plane goes dark meaning the transponder goes off and secondary radar tracking goes off.

Two days later, we hear of reports that Malaysian military radar (which is a primary radar, meaning the plane is being tracked by reflection rather than by transponder interrogation response) has tracked the plane on a southwesterly course back across the Malay Peninsula into the straits of Malacca.

When I heard this, I immediately brought up Google Earth and I searched for airports in proximity to the track towards southwest.

Because, as Goodfellow saw it, what was the simplest explanation for why a plane might suddenly change direction? Because they needed to land. And quickly.

The left turn is the key here. This was a very experienced senior captain with 18,000 hours. Maybe some of the younger pilots interviewed on CNN didn’t pick up on this left turn. We old pilots were always drilled to always know the closest airport of safe harbor while in cruise. Airports behind us, airports abeam us and airports ahead of us. Always in our head. Always. Because if something happens, you don’t want to be thinking what are you going to do – you already know what you are going to do.

Instinctively, when I saw that left turn with a direct heading, I knew he was heading for an airport. Actually he was taking a direct route to Palau Langkawi – a 13,000 foot strip with an approach over water at night with no obstacles. He did not turn back to Kuala Lampur because he knew he had 8,000 foot ridges to cross. He knew the terrain was friendlier towards Langkawi and also a shorter distance.

Goodfellow writes that the pilot was likely “confronted by some major event on board that made him make that immediate turn back to the closest safe airport” – and that’s what he did. The pilot also theorises that the loss of communications on board suggest that the “major event” was a fire.

Pilot Captain Zaharie Shah.

What I think happened is that they were overcome by smoke and the plane just continued on the heading, probably on George (autopilot), until either fuel exhaustion or fire destroyed the control surfaces and it crashed. I said four days ago you will find it along that route – looking elsewhere was pointless.

This pilot, as I say, was a hero struggling with an impossible situation trying to get that plane to Langkawi. No doubt in my mind. That’s the reason for the turn and direct route. A hijack would not have made that deliberate left turn with a direct heading for Langkawi. It would probably have weaved around a bit until the hijackers decided on where they were taking it.

Goodfellow says he finds it surprising that other reporters and officials haven’t looked at the situation from the pilot’s point of view and didn’t ask, “if something went wrong, where would he go?”

Pilot Captain Zaharie Shah is currently under investigation as authorities continue to search for the missing aircraft, and many of the explanations for the plane’s disappearance rest upon the presumption of his deliberate interference.

Goodfellow doesn’t think so, saying, “Smart pilot. Just didn’t have the time.”

The disappearance of MH370 is still a mystery, and at the moment the friends and families of those on board are waiting for any answer.

The world waits for answers.

Mamamia will provide further details as they emerge. Originally seen on Wired.