It's been more than a week since Air France Flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic, leaving a mystery as to what happened to the flight and why. As the search for debris and bodies continues, some clues are beginning to emerge, which may help investigators understand what went wrong and how such tragedies can be avoided. Patrick Smith writes the “Ask the Pilot” column for Salon. He's also the author of Ask the Pilot: Everything You Need to Know about Air Travel.