We have Tan Oaks (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) here which tend to fail just as your Black Oak. More often then not they seem to fail up the trunk and you are left with a top hung up in a nearby tree, but still attached to the trunk . We probably clear 10-15 of them a year, and obviously every one of them presents a uniquely sketchy situation. We are able to clear a majority of them with well executed slice cuts, or felling them sideways/backwards using tagline. If we are really lucky we can sometimes clear the top by setting a line and yarding on it with a truck pull or rope puller. Like your Black Oak when they are really locked up the safest way to free them up is to simply climb the tree they are hung up in, and worry it down.
Viewing your video from the comfort of my living room it looked like a slice cut or felling that thing sideways with a tagline would probably have worked, but again I am armchair quarterbacking here. In the end you were the man with eyeballs on the tree and you used your experience, knowledge, and judgement to do the job in the most efficient, effective, and safest way. As a bonus you got a sweet vid out of the deal!
On a side note, your video quality is killer and I'm wondering what you used to film this vid. GoPro? Which model? I am having a hard time getting one of my lowlife friends to show up and hold a camera so I'm thinking about finally breaking down and buying myself a GoPro.
