[wrench]

Read the account of BOAC flight 911 over Mt Fuji.

Turbulence can rip any aircraft apart.

Lightening can damage modern aircraft as well, especially those designed around ESD sensitive microprocessors.

[Red in Blue PA]

If that is the case, they probably would have sent a distress signal.

None was sent.

[NY.SS-Bar9]

Airliners encounter moderate to severe turbulence regularly. Air crews will attempt to avoid severe turbulence.

This leaves three possible scenarios:

• The AC suffered a loss of structural integrity due to pilot error in not detecting and avoiding severe turbulence.
• The AC suffered a loss of structural integrity due to cracks in the airframe: AD 2008-22-20
• Terrorism:
  Air India 182
  Pan Am 103

[the long march]

Agreed but so do terroists bombs. We discount things at our peril