[advance_copy]

Ten minutes later, the plane sent a burst of automatic messages, indicating the autopilot had disengaged, the flight-control computer system had been switched to alternative-power and controls needed to keep the plane stable had been damaged.

Three minutes later, automatic messages warned that two other fundamental systems that monitor air speed, altitude and direction had failed. Then came a cascade of electrical failures in systems that control the main flight computer and wing spoilers.

The last message came at 11.14pm, indicating loss of air pressure and electrical failure. The newspaper said this could mean sudden depressurisation, or that the plane was already falling into the ocean.

Four minutes of transmissions indicating a series of failures doesn't sound like a bomb. Sounds more like structural breakup in hyper-turbulance.

[fortress]

I think you are right it seems to have taken minutes for the plane to fail.
Of course it is also possible that a bomb exploded that was just big enough to cause a structural failure.

[Straight Vermonter]

Even if the plane had exploded it would take several minutes to reach the sea. If the cockpit were more or less intact and the batteries were ok the radios would continue to send word as various systems failed. The Challenger, for example, transmitted data as it fell to Earth.

[LuxMaker]

I suspect the pilot tried to pull up and the controls were unresponsive.

[calex59]

Four minutes of transmissions indicating a series of failures doesn't sound like a bomb. Sounds more like structural breakup in hyper-turbulance.

It would depend on the type of bomb and how big it was. Could have been a small bomb set to disable an aircraft and cause it to fail without blowing the sh** out of it. Explosive experts can do that sort of thing.

[babygene]

Think shoe bomber and get back to us...