my tuppence half penny....
the aircraft entered an area of severe convective thunderstorm activity skirting the ITCZ.
severe turbulence was encountered as they deviated?
sat's rose from say ISA+10 47C to an incredible 0c
the aircraft at current weight and temperature now cannot maintain current alt
severe icing is now encountered as supercooled water droplets are now super warm as the aircraft is engulfed in ice...wings as well folks. The leading edge was probably destroyed from ice.
aircraft now descending into a TZ( unable to maintain alt)
probes ice over....all the warnings begin
crew try to maintain control with no airpseed, numerous warnings.
lateral/ vertical loads way above certified limits are exceeded.
This may come across as a very simple way of putting it but I have seen SAT's rise along the maritimes to ISA +25 which required reclearances to lower levels as against to what these guys encountered was of bibilical proportions of unrelaible airpseed in a TZ/ sev turb etc etc.....
As for terrorism, I'll think I'll stick with the above. Likewise there is a big runaround going on now changing probes but inreality a ? to our engineers surely any probe would have iced over in the unreal conditions this ill fated flight encountered?