Flight Detent
Everything you mention in the opening sentence is connected. There are three VS loss accidents that come to mind. AA587, "pilot induced" over loading the rudder; UAL 232, uncontained turbine disintegration (N1?) which took the fin and rudder with it, and JAL 123, aft bulkhead crippled the Rudder/VS when it let go after a faulty repair of a tailstrike seven years previously. No accident is exactly like another. Nothing is unimportant, and no salient assembly tells all.
This thread is novel in that it allows comment by interested parties regarding information that is available. The Internet is a dynamic force that changes the game (or at least some of the 'rules'). I think it is a force for progress, utimately.
Whatever happened, happened quickly. Did the VS let go but allow for some control? 123 and 232 allowed the pilots to manouver with difficulty, did 447 have a shot after the VS separated? Did they descend in 'reasonable control' though steeply impact the sea some distance from the loss? Or did the empennage fail as a unit along with the aft bulkhead, the HS somewhat attached the rest of the way? Keep in mind the ACARS is a pirated document, not released by AF (to my knowledge). Who could discount the Weather? Other than some rather fantastic and discounted possibilities, anything could have happened.
One other thing. The three I mention lost their VS' in the climb, 447 was in cruise. That is important.
Will