"

The are limits to what can be done with brief passages. And I think we can claim a little leeway at this level of the article development. Worst case, if no other combination of words can manage to put over the facts and you are left with what looks like a direct lift from the source, I'd suggest putting quotes either side of the words that do match eg 'the right wing broke off where it was attached to the fuselage; the aircraft was ""already on fire when it came to rest"".    "