Originally Posted by
SASless
Nothing has indicated the Tail Boom "fell off".
Rumor has it that the tail boom was found "500 feet" away.
Current and wind could explain it being that far away from the rest of the aircraft....even if it separated upon impact with the water for some other reason.
Hmmm, 500ft would be quite aa lot for the shallow water. Depending on what's still attached to the boom it will sink rather quickly.
Also a total separation just upon impact is rather unusual. Those two aspects would at least not rule out a loss off the tail as initiating event.
On the other hand it would be a strange conicidence. Pitch black moonless night. 2 AM in the morning over flat sea, just starting from a private property with possibly sub- optimum lighting for transition into the dark (so all ingredients for spatial disorientation => LoC/CFIT) and then the tail boom falls off.