Part 3/10:
As the flight began, everything appeared to proceed normally. Climbing to an altitude of 32,000 feet, the pilots engaged in the routine operations of a normal flight, unaware of the catastrophic failure that lay ahead.
A Sudden Emergency
Approximately 90 minutes after takeoff, as the aircraft cruised over the French countryside, chaos erupted. The first sign came in the form of a loud clunk, followed by a blackout of the captain's instruments. The autopilot disengaged, and the right-hand radio panel went dark. The first officer took manual control of the aircraft, but the captain quickly realized the gravity of the situation—the aircraft was now largely unresponsive to their commands.