[burzum]

As it neared the end of the runway, the car traveled off the end of an 85-foot high embankment. It became airborne for 200 feet and struck a large tree.

Just doing a rough estimate, but if they fell 85 feet and traveled 200 feet laterally then they left the embankment about 59 mph and hit the tree at about 77 mph. Any BMW could easily do 120 mph or more. Unfortunately the stopping power does not increase linearly with momentum. It would take roughly 4 times as long to stop at 120 mph as it would at 60 mph. I'm guessing that they were probably driving faster than 100 mph and underestimated the distance it would take to stop the vehicle.

[Polybius]

Just doing a rough estimate, but if they fell 85 feet and traveled 200 feet laterally then they left the embankment about 59 mph and hit the tree at about 77 mph.

ARRGGHHH!!!

You just gave me a 1970's high school Physics flashback.

Don't do that any more!

[relee]

... Just doing a rough estimate, but if they fell 85 feet and traveled 200 feet laterally then they left the embankment about 59 mph and hit the tree at about 77 mph....

So, was the tree going 18 MPH or did gravity increase the car's speed?