Originally Posted by
satpak77
speculating, but any chance that the cockpit windows were impacted by the Legacy?
Satpak77;
I don't think so. Damage to the Legacy is on the left tips of two extremities...the winglet perhaps a foot+ and horizontal stabilizer, mere inches. If the diagram of the 737 and Legacy relative sizes posted earlier is referred to, it can be seen that the horizontal stabilizer could not impact the cockpit area without substantial damage to the Legacy and that evidence is not there. The winglet could not impact the cockpit area of the 737 at least in any substantial way on a straight-on heading as there would simply be far more damage to the Legacy than is apparent.
Considering a collision with the vertical stabilizer with the Legacy at a steep (evasive) bank angle, the Legacy's winglet and horizontal stabilizer are too far apart to have sustained damage by such a strike unless the winglet struck the 737's vertical stab and was in turn struck (instantaneously, much like the shuttle foam strike) by the horizontal stabilizer.
Given the distribution pattern of the main wreckage (close, with large wing sections intact so no high-speed impact-, no engines - either close by hidden by jungle or separated in flight due possibly due to high lateral loads-, gear down in a possible attempt to stabilize the aircraft), a collision with the vertical stabilizer is one possible scenario. All the fuel inspection panels are off perhaps due to very high pressures generated in the wing section on impact. In-flight break-up cannot be ruled out of course, as the photographs do not yet show all the wreckage.
A tragic day for aviation and a very sad for all families of the victims.