Seconds later, the plane began a steep, controlled dive. At some point, the pilot returned to the cockpit and he and the co-pilot both operated the plane's controls. Nance said that one possible explanation for this is that the pilot may have been trying to bring the plane back up while the co-pilot wanted to force it down. The plane's engines were cut off moments later and when the plane reached 16,000 feet, it began to rise again. Radar data indicated that the plane rose back to about 22,000 feet before it turned and dropped into the ocean.
Investigators suspect the pilot crashed the plane on purpose.
But there have been no major finds so far, O'Neill said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Presumed Dead Families of the victims of EgyptAir Flight 990 will soon get something they have waited for in the two weeks since the plane crashed, killing everyone on board. In Providence, R.I., a judge today cleared the way for death certificates to be issued to relatives of those who died. The certificates will say that each victim is presumed dead, even if their remains have not been found and identified.