Since this is all spit-balling, I like the idea suggested elsewhere that the elevator tore loose while making a right turn that had required enough up-elevator to keep the nose up to tear the already damaged elevator loose and that they associated making the turn with causing the problem. Wanting to avoid whatever happened in the turn, I can see a desire to avoid giving whatever that was a second shot.
Time to go to the video surveillance to see if there was a hit-and-run.