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From: daver@hp-pcd.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: KAL airliner destruction - (nf)
Message-ID: <1803@hp-pcd.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 10-Sep-83 03:35:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: hp-pcd.1803
Posted: Sat Sep 10 03:35:06 1983
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#R:sri-arpa:-484900:hp-kirk:5500016:000:1348
hp-kirk!daver    Sep  8 13:22:00 1983

     Consider another alternative:

       KAL 007 is specifically instructed to fly over sensitive
       Soviet territory with espionage equipment, assuming that
       the USSR would either not be concerned with a civilian
       airliner violating its airspace or would not risk inter-
       fering with a civilian flight.  The fighters intercept
       the aircraft and try to get the plane to follow them to
       land at a Soviet airport but the pilot, who is aware of
       the espionage activities, plays chicken, assuming the
       Soviets would not dare take additional action.  The 747
       approaches international airspace and the Russian com-
       mander decides that he cannot afford to let the plane
       "escape" without at least checking it out, so, when the
       747 pilot refuses to obey the fighters' signals, he as-
       sumes the aircraft is on a spy mission and orders it
       shot down.

       One question I have is why the pilot continued on his
       incorrect course.  Depending on the report, the pilot was
       or was not in contact with Japanese ATC and was or was
       not informed of his location.  I would be surprised if a
       trans-pacific airliner is normally totally out of radio
       contact for more than two consecutive hours.

       Besides, everyone knows that 007 is a spy!