Originally Posted by Confabulous
The Air China incident wasn't a spin, the pax described high g loads for extended periods of time, similar to a spiral dive or badly executed barrel roll. No chance for the engines to separate! Besides, the report makes no mention of a spin, just a roll. Granted, the aircraft probably exceeded Mach 1 in the recovery
Confabulous,
I absolutely agree with you; I first thought spiral dive because of the high speed and high G loads, but having read on I go for the barrel roll which, without an initial pull up, rapidly becomes a barrel roll in the down vertical as demonstrated fatally by Don Bullock in the A26 Invader at Biggin Hill.
I Ford,
The structural damage is consistent with high G loads. There are no high G loads in a stable spin (IAS too low) although pilots have been known to follow a spin recovery with a spiral dive - but not in the Air China incident. I still think an early 707 would have shed pylons (due to sideslip loads) if it had been spun.
Regards,
rts