It is also quite possible the a/c was out of control, never to regain it, well ahead of a/p out. Sanchez shows the a/c exiting the cell. Prior to entering the cell, a/p had control. Entering the ring around the column could involve upwards of 7k fpm up. From cruise, the a/p pulls back some throttle and inputs Nose Down, to cage speed and altitude. So far so good. Maintaining altitude, throttled back, the a/c exits the up column, and encounters neutral or even down air. Now shes "losing" 7k fpm, (indicated, read a/p), but the a/c is too out of trim for the automatics in Pitch and Power, the very thing the book says to fly when a/p is lost. The autopilot trips out because the controls require beyond her installed limits, (expressed as total deflection, or "excursion", the pilots might be surprised because they are trained for additive a/p input, not "recover" reset" she rapidly Stalls, and the floor falls out, loss of a/p, u/a/s ensues (unusual attitudes), and the pilots do......what? Is it time to unfocus our steely stare at Thales?
The Vertical Stabilizer did not pop off the fuselage at impact. There is simply not enough damage to the root or to the assembly itself due to tumbling through the concrete of an upset sea at in excess of 100 knots (at the very least). The damage to the base of the Rudder is consistent with being dragged across a tailcone with ram and Rapid inputs at altitude and highspeed.
Last edited by bearfoil; 25th Aug 2010 at 22:02.