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Another question - does it calculate the force based on the movement (in this case lateral) or by some method measuring the actual pressure placed on the plane at some specific point.

I am pretty ignorant on all of this but the reason I am asking this is is it possible that if the vertical stabilizer was just beginning to become loose during a turn, would the sudden change in the angle from 90 degrees (perfectly perpendicular) be sufficient to reduce the lateral drag enough to allow the plane to shift sideways dramatically enough to cause whatever is measuring the forces to perceive this as additional force rather than the plane moving due to the decreased lateral resistance?

I hope I am phrasing this correctly but I am drawing this from sailing experience where the sail captures more wind when the boat is flat rather than leaning at an angle.

If this were the case then that may mean that the lateral forces were more of a symptom of the plane deteriorating rather than the cause. Then with each attempt to correct for the structural damage that was occuring more damage was actually being inflicted finally resulting in the total separation of the stabilizer.

Just looking for a better understanding.

G load transducer in A/C.

That's true. It was a composite failure though in the tail. It had been previously repaired, but apparently not well enough. Also a simple matter of the documented record, and the composite is sure ripped right apart with the bolts all neatly still in place. I believe they referred to it as a delamination. Looked a lot like a torn piece of parchment with all the fibres frayed away unevenly.