One article mentioned that on today's jet transports there is little need for rudder movements and in some sense this means that pilots are not experienced enough, and their simulator training doesn't focus on good pilotage techniques when it comes to rudder inputs. A retired B-47 then commerical airline pilot opined as much.
The answer is complex but in all likelihood was a wake turbulence induced transient followed by a rudder reversal and incorrect pilot control input which busted the tail fin off. Maintenance records show that this fin had been overstressed and "repaired". So, like most accidents there is no easy explanation but Boeing and Airbus are runniNg other engineering studies to see whether material design changes and pilot training enhancements are needed.
Still a work in progress BUT... NO SHOE BOMB!!!
You must work for the gummint.
;-)
Did you see the photos of the tail fin? What you describe there should have been evidence of shearing of some sort. It looked to me like the bolts just fell out. It looked like it could have been rebolted onto a different fuselage and sent on its way.
I don't necessarily think that it was a shoe bomber. But, with my foil hat firmly in place, I would theorize sabotage at the Miami Airport. The way the eyewitness reports have the thing just coming apart in mid-air and exploding there could have been nefarious activity that might not have been detected at Miami or anywhere else. Enough shaking on take-off, landing and taking off again could cause the "wing-off" and "tail-off" effect in a vortex and hydraulic lines to get cut and do all of the things necessary to cause it to explode.
Just a theory.