I’ve always suspected it could have been a manpads missile, fired from a boat at sea. I think the altitude was right on the fringe of modern capabilities, but possible with the right missile. I doubt it was a Navy accident. A whole ship full of sailors isn’t keeping that secret for long. It’s just not happening. But a terrorist op... Entirely plausible.
I even understand the reasoning behind keeping it secret. Deny the terrorist his credit and you deny him his reward. You take away his whole reason to do it. I get it. I’m not crazy about it, but I do get it.
But why then... didn’t they do it again? Any number of airports are vulnerable like this. Why haven’t they tried again? Or even if they never did it... Why when its so obvious a way to blow airliners out of the sky?
Curious. Whatever it was, I still don’t buy the low-voltage short in the center fuel tank. I’m not sure you could even MAKE that happen.
CBS was able to get a GM pickup with saddle tanks to explode.....
why would a terrorist who successfully shot down a plane NOT then go public about it?
Why wouldn’t they have filmed it?
And you are right, Navy couldn’t and wouldn’t keep that kind of secret.
And in order to believe the plane was shot down, you HAVE to believe that the entire government decided to cover it up, because you have to know we have the ability to detect missile launches within our shores.
I think it was revenge for the Vincennes shoot down and I believe Iran told us that.