The fluid level in a fuel tank contibuting to this accident was in my view unforseen by the industry in general. It is easy to use hindsight and theories to propose how it might have contributed etc.
Both in the past and presumably in the future engineers and designers have been caught by surprise with a new lesson learned. Obviously lots of fuel tanks have been overfilled without ever seeing such a result.
The key to the recognition that in this specific event it might have been significant was the finding of the tank piece on the runway and its shape and fracture surfaces. To my eye they were unique and I have only seen them before associated with ballistic impacts in thick aluminum. Of course the more scentific evaluations would have to be made in a metalugical lab.