TWA Flight 800

[shaky]

It's been almost seven years since this plane went down, what do you think caused it?

Do you buy the FBI's claim that it was a wiring short, causing the fuel to explode?

Do you buy eyewitness claims that there was a streak of light, like a missile, heading toward the plane before it exploded?

Or something else?

Just curious.

[Beowulf]

Can you put in a few links about this...thanks

[a. enders]

Know a person who thinks it was a Clinton assassaination.No ****.RIght after it appened this fool looked at me and said "Gee I wonder who was on their Slick Willy wanted dead." rofl Course,the guy is certifiable,probably some kind of intense paranoia,and he believes the moon landings were faked. :cantbeli:

[papabear]

http://www.twa800.com/index.htm
http://www.all-natural.com/twa800.html

[shaky]

Good links papabear.

Here's another, to a pdf report by Admiral Thomas Moorer - former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

http://members.aol.com/RobertD202/moorer.pdf

[Duke]

This is what I know.
Before the NTSB could investigate the crash, Pres. Clinton signed an executive order singling out DevGru and sent them to the crash site. E.O 13039 ordered that DevGru be exempt from the Federal Labor Management Relations, in other words, the order prohibited DevGru from "blowing the whistle" on their COs for any wrong doing.
For three days after the crash DevGru probed the site. Only when DG finished did the NTSB examine the site.
Now this is a rumor.
A US Navy destroyer nearby ran drills. These drills had something to do with an experimental radar system. To create a real world TX the Navy cleared a specific airspace. Incidentally, TWA 800 crossed into this airspace and triggered a launch and its destruction.
Mix these two up and you got a problem. The truth is out there, but its most likely hidden in some warehouse.

[FallenAngel]

I agree Duke....I also heard about SEALs being involved with the TWA800 crash....and I always thought that was odd. Plus a US Navy Warship within firing range of the plane and sighting of a "missile" also raised my suspicion (although I thought it was a cruiser, not a destroyer....but anywho.)

...I KNEW it was the Navy :)

[HMMcrewchief]

Although I do not disagree with the unusual use of the military to investigate a civilian accident, I do have to disagree with the notion of a missile strike. Number one reason I have to disagree with that is that the explosion was INTERNAL! I have seen the wreckage while stored at the old Grumman hanger. The aluminum was not crumpled but stretched or bent outwards suggesting a massive buildup of pressure inside the pressure hull. Most Radar guided missiles do not impact or penetrate their targets, instead they pepper them with shrapnel to destroy aircraft systems. Number 2 I have NEVER seen a missile hit cause this much damage! The plane had broken into so many pieces that there would have been several strikes on the falling debris. NOT LIKELY. Now being a current Aircraft Maint. tech. I have seen the inside of a tired old 747-200 and let me tell you the possibility of a short is highly likely. During an overhaul of a 747-200 that had seen 20+ years of service (same as flt. 800) we found over 3lbs of metal shavings in the belly below the cargo floor! This material could have easily wore through the insulation and acted as a conductor to put inappropriate voltages into the fuel probe. Now I am not saying what brought the airliner down, but just giving an opinion based on my experience as a CombatAircew and as a certifeid FAA Aircraft tech.

[shaky]

HMMcrewchief you obviously know that plane, so I have a couple questions:

If that plane was on a transatlantic flight would it have fuel laden wings? And if so, wouldn't even the tiniest piece of shrapnel piercing one of them cause an explosion? I know that the fuel is supposed to be pretty stable in regards to this, but could a puncture type of hit cause it to explode? Or would it require a direct flame/spark to ignite?

Have there been any other cases of sparks igniting fuel tanks on aircraft of this type and age?

Hypothetically, wouldn't a hit with even the smallest type of explosive/warhead cause the fuel to ignite, and then stretch the aluminum outward like it was just an internal explosion?

Could a small bomb, placed in the proper spot, make it appear as an 'ordinary' accident?


Like I said, you sound like know the plane so I'm just curious what your opinions are on these scenarios. Thanks.

[Duke]

Chief,
I'm curious. What type of aviation/marine incidents have you seen to make this evaluation? Compared to ground incidents/accidents, most of the airplane is gone. Just wanted to know the difference. thanks

[HMMcrewchief]

Actually Duke most of flight 800 was recovered and rebuilt in a hanger on Long Island where Gruman used to prep F-14's. The fuselage was rebuilt on a scafolding type structure where the parts were indentifeid and placed in position. The wings and tail were laid out on the floor of the hanger again with the pieces laid out in relative postion. I have been through Aircraft Accident Investigation Techniques and Procedures training and certified by the FAA NTSB. Duke does this answer your question? If not maybe you could rephrase the question.
As to Shaky question although I never worked on N93119. I have worked on similar not the involed aircraft. Yes the aircraft would have had its wing tanks filled to the brim. Although it had a lengthy ground delay there was plenty of fuel. Actually that is when a fuel tank is at its least volitale. There is little room for the fuel to vaporize and form a fuel/air mixture. Now the center tank is a different matter it was almost empty. If that tank had a peice of shrapnel enter it and it was hot enough it might cause an explosion. But there would be burn marks on the outside of the aircraft, also there would be at least some indication of entry of shrapnel in the wreckage.
As to your second question yes there are other fuel tank explosions. One such is PAN AM FLT. 214 1963 a 707. Also an asian 737type airliner recently exploded while parked at the gate. This was due to a fuel pump running in a empty tank, the pump overheated and caused the center tank to explode.

[HMMcrewchief]

Just to give you an idea of the size of a center fueltank on a 747-200. It holds 12,890 Gallons of Jet A. An averaged sized male can stand up fully inside most of the tank (tapers downward as you move back) The same person could lay head to toe with another and not be able to touch the sides. The length is slightly longer than width. Sorry I do not know the exact dimensions. But if you consider the amount of fuel/air mixture and plus the tank is kept slightly pressurized (more oxygen), the potential energy is trememdous!

[MK133]

Unfortunatly, someone screwed up! :cantbeli: