Has anyone else looked into the theory surrounding Tompkins' cockpit hatch issues before takeoff? It's odd that she had mechanical troubles right before she disappeared. It makes me wonder if there might have been an unresolved problem that contributed to her getting disoriented. I know the official stance suggests she flew into the fog without issue, but what if the hatch problem distracted her or limited her visibility even more in that critical moment? Sadly, the four-day delay before she was reported missing definitely hindered the investigation. With so many possible crash sites—and such limited initial leads—any overlooked mechanical issue could have been key to understanding what happened to her that day. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts on whether this avenue has been thoroughly explored or if it's mostly been dismissed over the years.
