I suspect the footage as seen on YouTube and everywhere else depicts events as happening somewhat faster than they actually did.
I’m guessing that it’s come from a standard CCTV camera recording at something like four or five frames a second, which means that as seen it’s probably speeded up by a factor of five or thereabouts.
With 60-odd people on board, unfastening their safety belts, starting to stand up, groping for hand luggage etc – and yes, I know they shouldn’t be doing it – a violent wrench round at the speed suggested by the footage would have produced a lot of broken bones on board the RJ and even, heaven forbid, the possibility of fatalities.
If anyone has definite knowledge to ther contrary that I’m willing to stand corrected, of course.
I don’t think it looks that fast in the first place. I mean, I don’t think it’s speeded up on the film and it looks no faster or slower than today’s taxi speeds, which must be around 40, 50 mph?
If the A380 was going very slow, I would suggest the CRJ would have had more damage. As it happened, the impact caused it to bounce out of the way, springing off its undercarriage. If the A380 was going dead slow, the CRJ would have been pushed along more, scrubbing the tyres. This would have bent the Vert Fin.