Originally Posted by
GHOTI
Now we have at least two Airbii that have died in-flight with vertical stabs found a bit of a distance from the rest of the airframe.
Only a vertical distance, in the sense of top of the ocean and bottom. 447 VS was found in the middle of the debris field (see back of first BEA report). 587
was found a few miles back from the (land) impact point.
There are two airbus water impacts that I know of where the VS has floated free - 888T off Perpignan and 447. In the former case there is no evidence of a VS detachment and witnesses to the (intact) impact. In the case of 447 there are no witnesses, but finding the VS floating free doesn't mean it came off before impact (as 888T proves)
The failure mechanisms shown by the recovered VS in 587 and 447 are also different. 587 failed as the VS was torn from the mountings, whereas in the 447 case, those same mountings were ripped out of the rear fuselage with the VS. I haven't been able to find good photos of 888T VS, but what there is seems to show it looking more like 447 than 587 (as in detached with parts of fuselage).
To me, none of this
proves the VS was still attached at impact, however it does point in that direction, and there is
no evidence pointing to it detaching at altitude - at the moment that remains conjecture.