Disclaimer: this is total speculation from someone completely unqualified to speculate about aviation Given the violence of the crash due to the total lack of

Disclaimer: this is total speculation from someone completely unqualified to speculate about aviation Given the violence of the crash due to the total lack of fine control, likely worse. A fire in the cornfield could have killed many more people as would the lack of emergency firefighting and medical attention. A plane that broke apart in the water would likely just lead to most passengers quickly drowning. It might work if the plane remained intact, but that requires landing level and slow, something they had no ability to control.