ALASKAN 261 - A THEORY?
I have recently listened to the ATC tape of the AS 261 drama and tragedy off the Californian coast. We now know that a tailplane mechanical fault is regarded by the investigation thus far as having caused an uncontrollable pitch-down. Observers reported to ATC that--eventually--the a/c was inverted and impacted the water in this attitude.
What was there about this control problem by which the a/c would become inverted? And I wonder...
Is it beyond the realms of possibility that the crew might have deliberately rolled the aeroplane over in a desperate attempt to get the nose 'up'?
Given their predicament, might such action have succeeded?
Would YOU do it?