There have been a number of accidents where novel mechanical failures and/or pilot-induced mechanical failures of aircraft-type with robust operational histories resulted in catastrophic failures. Alaska Airlines FL-261, AA FL-587 both come to mind immediately.
As aircraft age, the stress and wear of operation can reveal design or operational defects that can, if not remedied, lead to catastrophic failure. In both the aforementioned incidents, maintenance or training corrections needed to be implemented in order to avoid subsequent catastrophic failures...just as it was with TWA 800.
re. AA Fl-587...There were witnesses on Jamaica Bay near Floyd Bennett that told stories in direct opposition to that which was issued by the government. To my knowledge, none of these accounts have been published.
Remember, this was in NYC and only two months after 9/11. The WTC site was still smoking intermittantly.
As aircraft age, the stress and wear of operation can reveal design or operational defects that can, if not remedied, lead to catastrophic failure. In both the aforementioned incidents, maintenance or training corrections needed to be implemented in order to avoid subsequent catastrophic failures...just as it was with TWA 800.
Which is precisely why all 747s were grounded until the center fuel tank problem could be fixed, right?
Like someone else said, how many other 747s had their fuel tanks explode? Hmmmm?
ZERO! Before or after.
The number of eye witnesses alone makes any other explanation than a missile ridiculous!