Jackinoto,
Show me one transport category jet that had fuel on it and made a successful off airport landing where everyone walked away. Just one. The jets have been flying for almost 50 years.
Furthermore You do NOT stuff the nose down. It is not done in stalls either BTW in a transport category jet. When you do stalls in a jet you maintain pitch attitude and increase power or VERY slightly reduce pitch.
Under no circumstances do you "Stuff the nose" in a transport category jet. They are far more pitch sensitive than a cessna. Concorde is also an extremely pitch sensitive aircraft.
Its normal touchdown angle is HUGE, you cannot be going slow and have any less of an angle, so the aircraft will not pancake in like you think it will. It will strike the tail quite firmly then break up. Mix in 200000 lbs of fuel and everyone will die. Pure and simple. Its a done deal if you try it. If however you get closer to an aerodrome, your odds go up.
Should the Transatt crew just have ditched in the sea? An off airport landing WILL result in deaths. Everything else is just hollywood.
Cheers
Wino
PS. Jackinoto, I was a captain of A320s 737s and 727 for 6 years. I recently changed jobs and went to a larger airline (AA) and am now an A300-605R first officer. Its a wide body, and do not assume that I am less experienced than your other thread members. Among other things, I have been the ALPA safety rep for my airline, part of the "Go team" and a member professional standards. On the management side I have done the engine out ferry and post maintance test flight duties for 2 seperate airlines.
[ 29 August 2001: Message edited by: Wino ]