National Transportation Safety Board has all but ruled out terrorism as cause of Flight 587 Crash

AirDisaster.com/Washington Post ^ | 11/18/01 | hwc, Washington Post Staff

[Blueflag]

The bridge was an unfortunate mix of the span of the bridge matching the natural harmonic wavelength. Not sure this was the same deal, but ... If the VS became loose, it could have experienced a violent flutter -- thus the reported airframe shake on the voice recorder.

If you have ever raced really fast sailboats, like a 505 or a Hobie 18, then you know what rudder flutter feels like. But it DOES NOT destroy the rudder and tiller. But you sure do feel it.

I still stick with the simplest theory -- a weakened structure encountered lateral forces from the top and bottom of a wing vortex. The forces exceeded its remaining strength. It failed, the aircraft departed controlled flight rapidly, parts fell of from the ensuing stress.

I blame Airbus and weak ADs.

[Excuse_Me]

Look at the pictures. It was mechanical failure.

It may have been, but for the rudder to come off the stabilizer, the stabilizer to come off the tail, then both engines one at a time in less than a minute is extremely unusual, wouldn't you say?

[jlogajan]

When you lose control of a big jet like that, it starts to break up due to aerodynamic overpressures. Spins, bad angles of attack, overspeed, etc.