Sky Wave,
You are right about the wing hitting the water first, I remember watching it and thinking to myself, why isn't he wings level?
Its news to me that one of the idiots who hijacked the aircraft was the cause, although its highly likely due to the fact that they couldn't grasp the fact that the plane didn't have the fuel to reach their destination and were told this repeatedly by the pilots.
I know we have gone slightly off topic here and I do apologise, but there is something we could also consider from that particular tragedy, from what I recall the ocean was calm, weather was good and it was in daylight and very close to the shore in shallow water, I think the odds would be stacked right up against you if the weather was less than perfect, it was at night and half way across the atlantic...actually I'd rather not think about it!