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Believing they needed to turn left, the pilots began to set their navigation equipment without clarifying the instructions, despite the uncertainty. Misinterpreting the communication and failing to seek clarification, the crew proceeded to execute their turn, unaware that they were inadvertently navigating themselves closer to a dangerous mountain ridge.
The Final Moments
As the pilots continued their descent, they lost mental situational awareness. The ground proximity warning system alarmed, alerting them of their dangerously low altitude. Despite this critical warning, confusion still reigned in the cockpit. Captain Whelan believed he needed to turn right to avoid the mountain, not realizing that they were already on a collision course with it.