Worst accident in aviation history narrowly averted

[Thumpalumpacus]

Well, like I wrote, I think what drove the story was the potential casualty count. I can't argue with your experience as a pilot in terms of what happens aloft at 500', or how quickly it happens, except to speak to my (perhaps irrelevant) experience in auto accidents happening at 40% of the speed and only working with two dimensions and not three.