Lost in Saigon;
If you are aware of the structure of a turbine engine, then why do you find the condition of the low pressure fan to be so interesting?
I agree that it is highly unlikely that there would be much fuel available to the engine after it has become detached from it's pylon. But I would never support my argument based solely on the condition of the low pressure fan.
The original notion posited by some was, the engines continued to run post-crash and the resultant high thrust levels from the departed engines was the reason they were so far ahead of the wreckage. I think that is an incorrect assessment of why the engines ended up where they are. What do you think?
My focus on the N1 was solely to observe that while there are indications of engine rotation, there are also N1 blades which are relatively straight, indicating that such rotation ceased quite quickly. My assumption that the N2 did not continue running for long and, if undamaged either by impact forces or signficant amounts dirt/mud/cowling parts etc, simply ran down, is easily supported by the lack of sufficient fuel to keep the fire lit and the turbines turning. We will know more about this of course, very shortly.
In any case, my original point was meant to address the view that the long trail of dust/smoke/steam/? was caused by a running engine and that it was so far ahead of the main wreckage because it continued to run at a thrust setting which could carry a 2400kg engine that far forward, a suggestion that has, for the reasons given, no merit or basis in fact whatsoever.
brandtzag:
Perhaps you would kindly explain "kinetic" energy an why the engines, if moving at the same speed as the airframe, suddenly appears ahead.
They are well ahead of the primary wreckage site because the initially very high vertical impact loads very likely broke both engines off the wings and they simply tumbled forward as a result of their 2.4T weight. I can't explain the "smoke/dust/vapor/?" trail because I don't know if the ground was wet, dry or ? .
The physics lesson here is straightforward I think, is it not? The 2400kg mass was travelling between 70 and 90 kts and simply continued forward until the forward momentum was absorbed by the soft ground.
lomapaseo:
As for the ear-witness who bravely showed up on this forum.
"bravely"...no kidding. For a number of reasons, I think what he has done was very risky and an unwise decision but there it is.