From looking at the recently posted pictures by archae86 (thanks for doing that) does anyone see what I think I see - in the third to last picture (sort of overview of the final resting place for the wings) does it seem that there is a break in the debris field to the right of what appears to be a significant impact gouge in the ground leading to the wings? I'm trying to figure how the debris field can be so long, and how the various pieces can to be where they are. What seems plausible from the pictures so far is something like:
- Initial contact with the ground in a pitch-up attitude causing tail strike and shortly after loss of the tail assembly entirely
- The remaining aft fuselage continues to contact the ground, breaking up as it travels
- Assuming TOGA thrust was demanded just before or coincident with ground contact, thrust is still available from the engines, however shortly after loss of the tail, at least one engine leaves the wing (probably both).
- However the immediate attitude is one of pitch-up, causing the remaining structure to leave the ground momentarily (accounting for the gap in the debris field/ground contact path, though I suppose some debris continues to leave the aircraft, just a lot smaller pieces)
- Obviously stricken, and primarily due to the loss of the tail the CofG, moves far forward, and combined with the center of pressure being far behind (due to flaps), the aircraft pitches violently nose down, resulting in destruction of the forward cabin, leaving the wings as effectively the only remaining part of the aircraft (which would explain the Alitalia report seeing the aircraft 20 degress pitch down)
- The wings and wing box continue as one structure and tumble (explaining the fact they are upside-down) until arrested by the perimeter fence, whereupon a short lived flash fire consumes whatever is left of the fuel (I can only really see evidence of fire at the wing site)
Comments?
- GY
Last edited by GarageYears; 20th May 2010 at 01:05.