Air France Flight 447 Crash Cronology

• 01:48 -- Brazilian Air Force has last radar contact. Plane appears to be flying normally.
• 02:00 -- Aircraft hits a zone of stormy weather with strong turbulence. The pilot sends a manual signal indicating that he is flying through an area of "CBs" - black, electrically charged cumulonimbus clouds that come with violent winds and lightning.
• 02:10 -- Problems mount. The autopilot is disengaged, a key computer system is switched to alternative power and controls needed to keep the plane stable have been damaged, according to automatic messages. An alarm sounds, indicating that flight systems are deteriorating.
• 02:13 -- Automatic messages report the failure of systems to monitor air speed, altitude and direction. Control of the main flight computer and wing spoilers fail.
• 02:14 -- An automatic message was received from the aircraft as indicating a loss of cabin pressure and failure in the electric circuit. The plane is a long way from the coast. It is believed to be breaking up at this moment.
• 02:20 -- Plane fails to make previously scheduled radio contact with Brazil. Brazil notifies air traffic control in Dakar, Senegal.