On September 2, 1998, the crew of an MD-11 operating as Swissair Flight 111 smelled an abnormal odor in the cockpit while cruising at FL330. After a brief search, the two pilots agreed the air conditioning system was at fault and initiated a divert. They initially began a turn toward Boston but then changed their new destination to Halifax, Nova Scotia.About 13 minutes after the abnormal odor was detected, the aircraft's flight data recorder began to record a rapid succession of aircraft systems-related failures. The flight crew declared an emergency and indicated a need to land immediately. About one minute later, radio communications and secondary radar contact with the aircraft were lost and the flight recorders stopped functioning. About five
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