One other thing.

If the left engine fell off first, the pilot would have applied full right rudder to counter the force lost by the left engine.

Now, if the support structure for the tail section indeed had some undetected damage (i.e. cracks like in the fans of the Sioux City crash) that force (full right rudder to offset left engine loss) COULD have been enough to break it off. This is supposition on my part as an instrument rated pilot....I am by no means a physicist, structural or mechanical engineer, though.

I'm sure we will know more in the next few days.

On a side note, it pains me that so many citizens from the Dominican Republic, who don't mean us any harm, and simply want to participate in a country/system much better than theirs perished in this.

And, naturally, the United States citizens and the flight crews from AA, already making our country what it is.

I am scared one of them may have been a Flight Attendant on my flight from MIA-CUN in September. Her name is Carol Palm. She gave us superb service on that flight and two of us sent an SOS. So far, every listing for passengers and crew is just giving country status i.e. U.S. or Dominican Republic. I don't know Carol's last name but she did tell us she had worked for Eastern before joining American, and I believe (not sure) lived in Tampa.

Would appreciate any information other FFT's could provide such I could send her family something if that was indeed she.

LLZ -

I am sad to inform you that Ms. Carol Palm was a member of the cabin crew on AA-587.

Her name is on the official list released by AMR Corp on their web site (amrcorp).

I have no other info about this fine FA. Maybe AMR Corp can be of some help to you. They have an "800" number posted on their web site, first page.

dAAvid -

Could there be a difference in trying to control a Boeing Vs. an Airbus in this condition? Doesn't the Airbus give the pilot less control? (I just remember that footage from the Paris Airshow where they demo'ed an Airbus and it just plowed into the ground after a touch and go landing.)

Yes, the same fly-by-wire system that makes it more difficult to accidently ram an Airbus into something else also makes it more difficult to try an extraordinary or last-ditch maneuver, I would think.

I guess someone who has had simulator time on both frames could tell us the differences for sure.

The A300 does not have fly-by-wire.

There's a well-informed technical piece at http://www.aero-news.net (about the third story down).

Edited to add: The gist of the story is that an Airworthiness Directive was recently issued against the A319/20/21 motivated by concern that it suffers from elevator flutter that could render an aircraft uncontrollable. The aero-news article speculates that the A300, which apparently has an essentially identical mechanical design for the tail section, suffered flutter that broke off the tail. The AD requires A320-type operators to adjust the trim so that the elevator is aerodynamically loaded. (But wouldn't the elevators naturally be loaded on climb out?)

If you have a subscription to Aviation Week, you can find the original article on the A320 AD by going to http://www.awstonline.com and searching on "elevator flutter".

[This message has been edited by someotherguy (edited 11-16-2001).]

The speculation from the NTSB is centering on wake turbulence snapping the tail off leaving the plane uncontrollable.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/11/16/ny.crash/index.html