> Or the drone wash was the straw that broke the observatory's back.

Technically not impossible, the drone was close enough to the cable that it was likely exerting some force, no matter how small, on them. There is certainly some chance that in that moment that force was all that was needed to push it past the breaking point.

That said obviously from a practical standpoint if it were that close the the edge then the next gust of wind would have done it in anyways.