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Old 6th Jul 2013, 20:03
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BrandonSoMD
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Southern Maryland
Age: 56
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In the picture of the deplaning passengers, note the fracture in the fuselage above the wing. Must have been a fairly high vertical speed impact with some pitchdown.

The debris at the seawall is somewhat right of the extended centerline, based on the landing lights pier in the helicopter video presently playing. Maybe 50 feet right. A surprising amount of debris is right at the seawall, including a large chunk of something in the water. The tail fins (horiz and vertical stab) are all separated, and there is literally no visible structure OTHER than the fin. The nose gear is sitting right before the numbers but has scarring on the pavement leading up to it, so it must have slid some distance.

There is a clear, black wavy skid line on the runway that heads off to the left, before entering the dirt. Strangely, it appears to point to the nose area. At least one tire was clearly dragged, but based on the skid mark it wasn't rotating at all.

No sign of one of the engines. Is it possible that is what is visible in the water about 20 feet offshore from the seawall?

My conclusion: it must have been a fairly high AOA at impact to destroy the tail section so thoroughly; perhaps they got rather slow on short final and hauled on the yoke to at least make the tarmac at all. Either way, the tail was completely ripped off and self-destructed immediately. The nose then came down hard and the airplane slid to a stop.
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