Air France Flight 447 was a scheduled passenger flight that departed from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, en route to Paris, France. The aircraft, an A330-203, took off on May 31, 2009, and was expected to arrive in Paris on the morning of June 1. Just a few hours into the flight, the plane encountered a powerful thunderstorm as it crossed the Atlantic. At approximately 2:10 AM UTC, the flight lost contact with air traffic control. Despite attempts to communicate and rectify the situation, the flight continued to ascend and descend erratically before disappearing from radar. Wreckage and debris of the aircraft were eventually located several days later, with search efforts hampered by the vast expanse of ocean and harsh conditions.

Investigations revealed that the aircraft’s pitot tubes, which measure airspeed, had malfunctioned, leading to a loss of data critical for the flight control system. The pilots struggled to respond effectively due to the complex situation, and the aircraft entered a high-altitude stall. The final moments of the flight were recorded in the cockpit voice recorder, highlighting the confusion and urgency faced by the crew. This incident marked one of the deadliest accidents in aviation history and resulted in widespread repercussions for airline safety protocols and aircraft design.