[Wissa]

People aren't used to seeing planes spinning like frisbees. If what you're seeing doesn't fit into your preconception of reality, your mind does its own gymnastics to try to make sense of it all. There were eyewitnesses that said the left engine came off first, and others that said the right engine came off first. That would fit in with the author's view that the plane was spinning.... or it could also fit with the eyewitnesses not knowing what the heck they saw.

[sinkspur]

There were eyewitnesses that said the left engine came off first, and others that said the right engine came off first.

And this doesn't trigger your bullshit meter, either?

Come on, people. Eyewitness testimony, unless it is captured IMMEDIATELY after a crash is notoriously unreliable.

Your post proves it.

[onedoug]

Also, one would think the FMGS gyrocompasses would have indicated the directional changes of a flat yaw-spin.

It's still damned odd though.