If it “disntergrated in flight”, the debris would be scattered over miles, not hundreds of yards.
No, I think it was intact when it went in. There isn’t anything that supports any other theory, right now.
I come back to my original supposition from the main thread.
Gradual depressurization at altitude, not recognized by the crew until it was too late. Hypoxia at altitude is insidious, and very hard to recognize, until it is too late.
The descent was fast, but CONTROLLED. It did not overload the airframe.
This leads me to think someone turned the autopilot altitude down, maybe just before passing out?? The lack of a mayday is the key part, and what leads me to think Hypoxia.
It has happened before, several times.
You mean like the Payne Stewart flight?
Hypoxia triggering an event on a commercial airliner is extremely rare, and when it occurs does not result in an impact in 10 minutes. There is nothing “insidious” about a loss of pressure on an Airbus. I am an Airbus captain.
Hopefully the black box will provide answers. If it is equipment malfunction, Airbus is cooked!