Originally Posted by bearfoil
Machaca; First, Sir, let me catch my breath. That pic is exquisite. (...) How is this wonder accepted by the Fuselage?
Some readers may not be aware that the A400M has a large rear-loading cargo door, and it is shown here:
A400M Cargo hold
Originally Posted by henra
... could it be possible that the supporting structure was damaged first by the impact and only then the VS departed ?
In my imagination the impact can be divided in two phases:
vertical, then horizontal. The rear fuselage has just the perfect shape for minimizing resistance to forward motion, and hence impact forces are initially mostly vertical, pushing the light tailcone aft of frame 91 upwards against the rudder, crushing the rear fuselage structure while pushing the V/S upwards, causing the vertical acceleration that breaks arm 36g, and causing the fuselage break-up illustrated in mm43's #2067. Then large horizontal forces get into the act, as the water hits the blunt face of wing center section, engines, and wing, and rushes at high speed into rear freight hold and cabin open at the front.
BEA concludes from examination of the V/S that it separated in a forward motion relative to the fuselage. The frames were bent backwards, assembly 86-87 was slammed backwards against the V/S root rib, breaking the lateral load pick-ups in
compression, and assembly 84-85 slammed backwards and broke its pick-ups in
tension. Finally 86-87 was slammed forward against 84-85.
regards,
HN39
EDIT:: From BEA#2:
1.12.3.5.6 Examination of the fuselage parts (remains of the skin, frames and web frames)
The fuselage was sheared along the frames and centre and aft attachment lugs by loads applied bottom-upwards.