Photo evidence
Position of NLG is interesting but I doubt a significant contributory factor to the global events leading to the end result.
If potential cargo hold fire was reported only shortly before landing, I would worry that it could not be controlled and even more cause sufficient damage to cause a landing upset and worse a failure of the fuselage aft of the wing.
My judgement on whether this is fundamentally an airplane issue remains open, with or without the "assumed declared" fire.
Last edited by daikilo; 27th Jul 2010 at 20:46.
Reason: clarification