[Husker24]

True, that verticle stabilizer is the odd thing in this. Maybe the engine started to disinigrate and a piece of it shot out and cut off the stabilizer in mid flight before it fell off, that even seems a little far fetched though considering the proximity of the engines and the stabilizer.

[VA Advogado]

True, that verticle stabilizer is the odd thing in this. Maybe the engine started to disinigrate and a piece of it shot out and cut off the stabilizer in mid flight before it fell off, that even seems a little far fetched though considering the proximity of the engines and the stabilizer.

The loss of the vertical stablizer I think only points to some sort of mechanical accident. Its so unlikely to find that as a place a bomb would or could be planted.

[MistyCA]

Sorry, but if something broke off and hit the stabilizer it does not mean it would have sheared it off the plane. In fact, look at the pictures. It looks like the stabilizer was torn off the plane, but if it was caused by being hit by something it would have left damage to it, don't you think? Dents at a minimum. I just don't see that.

[maxamillion]

Think about it, a jet traveling 3 to 4 hundred knots at take off, losing the left engine would cause the craft to pitch to the left. A jet going that fast sideways would lose the tail fin...

[Moonman62]

True, that verticle stabilizer is the odd thing in this. Maybe the engine started to disinigrate and a piece of it shot out and cut off the stabilizer in mid flight before it fell off, that even seems a little far fetched though considering the proximity of the engines and the stabilizer.

The witness reports I've read here on FR indicate that the wing was disintegrating and it was the wing debris that hit the vertical stabilizer causing it to break off. At first I didn't think an engine failure would cause much wing damage because most of it is mounted in front of the wing, but someone posted a report of problems with this particular engine indicating that a small section of the rear of the engine is under the wing and can throw debris perpendicularly into the wing root. The post also indicated that the engine can be cut half, possibly causing a separation with a big piece flying back and damaging the wing. The rest of the engine may not have separated until the plane was out of control.

[hove]

"Maybe the engine started to disinigrate and a piece of it shot out and cut off the stabilizer in mid flight before it fell off..."

Now that sounds like something Arlen Specter would come up with.

[Z-28]

If the thrust reverser malfunctioned (or was rigged to do so), the severe yaw induced by the reverse thrust could have caused the verticle stabilizer to detach from air pressure, and then the engine and wing.

But that still doesn't explain the explosion and fire reported by many eyewitnesses, does it?

"First I heard a big explosion. Then I saw flames come out from behind the plane. And then a whole wing with the engine fell off." - Antonio Villela, a construction worker, eyewitness to American Airlines flight 587 disaster.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGATP04RYTC.html

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

A relative who is a private pilot and I discussed this -- the engine debris hitting the stabilizer possibility -- and he doesn't believe that was possible.

[Loopy]

An eyewitness, Ken Something, reported the breakup the same way that this expert now says. There was a thread on it yesterday. He said that the wing came off, hit the tail and then the plane rolled over and went in.