Posted on 03/02/2023 4:07:49 PM PST by nickcarraway
Auto, Aviation & Transportation
Flight path of TWA 800: The colored rectangles are areas from which wreckage was recovered.
TWA Flight 800 was a Boeing 747 that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Long Island, New York, on July 17, 1996, killing all 230 people on board. The cause of the crash was initially unclear.
However, after a lengthy investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the most likely cause was an explosion in the center fuel tank of the aircraft, probably caused by a short circuit.
The aircraft took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City bound for Paris, France, at around 8:19 PM on July 17, 1996. About 12 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of about 13,700 feet (4,200 meters).
“Power’s set,″ said flight engineer Richard Campbell, indicating he had adjusted the power to allow the plane to go higher. It was 8:30:35 p.m.
Those were the last words from the plane.
Witnesses on the ground reported seeing a bright flash of light in the sky followed by a fireball and debris falling into the ocean.
Disaster Recovery Of TWA Flight 800
undefined Wreckage recovered with tangled and damaged wires attached What caused the death of TWA Flight 800 victims? The 230 victims of TWA Flight 800 died as a result of the crash of the Boeing 747 aircraft into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Long Island, New York, on July 17, 1996. The crash was a high-energy impact, and all the passengers and crew members aboard the aircraft were killed instantly.
The impact of the crash caused the aircraft to break apart into many pieces and scatter over a large area of the ocean floor. Recovery efforts became launched immediately after the crash. And the remains of the victims were eventually located and recovered from the debris field.
Concorde Crash : Death of an Aviation Dream
The victims’ cause of death was attributed to the physical trauma sustained during the high-speed impact. In addition, the resulting forces that would have been experienced during the aircraft’s disintegration. The exact nature of the injuries sustained by the victims varied depending on their location within the aircraft and the circumstances of the crash, but they would have included blunt force trauma, fractures, and lacerations.
This photograph is part of the National Transportation Safety Board accident report for TWA Flight 800. The date on the photograph shows as May 20, 1997. The investigation determined that the most likely cause of the explosion was a short circuit in the wiring of the center fuel tank. Which ignited fuel vapors and caused the tank to explode.
In addition, the investigation also found that the design of the fuel tank was a contributing factor. As it did not adequately protect against the buildup of fuel vapors.
Furthermore, the investigation resulted in a series of recommendations to improve the safety of fuel tanks in commercial aircraft.
Including changes to the design of the tanks and the installation of systems to reduce the buildup of fuel vapors.
The TWA Flight 800 disaster likely became caused by a short circuit in the wiring of the center fuel tank, which ignited fuel vapors and caused the tank to explode. All of the conspiracy theories roaming the internet chat halls have no hard evidence. The NTSB investigation resulted in recommendations to improve the safety of fuel tanks in commercial aircraft.
What are the common conspiracy theories of the TWA flight 800 disaster?
Another frame from the CIA’s animation depicting how the left wing of TWA Flight 800 was shorn off and created a second fireball US Airways : Confusion on the Runway
The TWA Flight 800 disaster, like many high-profile incidents, has been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories. While the official investigation concluded that the most likely cause of the crash was an explosion in the center fuel tank, some people continue to believe in alternative explanations.
Some of the most common conspiracy theories on the TWA Flight 800 disaster:
Missile theory: One of the most popular conspiracy theories suggests that TWA Flight 800 became shot down by a missile. Either accidentally by the U.S. military or intentionally by a terrorist group. Furthermore, this theory is based on witness accounts that describe seeing a streak of light or a projectile heading towards the aircraft before it exploded. However, the official investigation found no evidence of a missile strike and concluded that witness accounts were likely due to the aircraft breaking apart in mid-air.
Cover-up theory: Another common theory suggests that the U.S. government or the airline industry covered up the true cause of the crash in order to protect their interests. This theory often includes allegations of a massive conspiracy involving the FBI, CIA. And other government agencies, as well as the airline industry and the media.
Bomb theory: Some people believe that TWA Flight 800 became brought down by a bomb. Possibly planted by a terrorist group or a disgruntled employee. This theory is based on the presence of traces of explosive material found on some of the wreckage. However, the official investigation found that these traces were likely the result of contamination during the recovery and analysis process.
Mechanical failure theory: A less popular theory suggests that TWA Flight 800 crashed due to a mechanical failure, such as a malfunctioning engine or faulty wiring. While these types of failures can certainly occur, the official investigation found no evidence to support this theory.
Most witness observations of a streak of light were determined by the NTSB to be consistent with the calculated flightpath of TWA 800 after the CWT explosion (screenshot from an NTSB animation). It is important to note that there is no evidence to support any of these conspiracy theories beyond eyewitness accounts.
In conclusion, these theories have become debunked by the official investigation and subsequent reviews. Furthermore, the TWA Flight 800 disaster was a tragic accident caused by a fuel tank explosion. And lastly, the investigation and subsequent safety recommendations have led to important improvements in the safety of commercial aircraft.
It was shot down by a foreign country or organization. That’s why the CIA was involved in the investigationand that’s why there was a huge military response to the shoot down.
When else do you see literally thousands of sailors and soldiers at the scene of a plane crash?
FedGov report is total BullShiite.
Billions of hours of jets flying with fumes in their tanks and exactly one incident. Doesn’t pass the smell test.
Great book by Nelson DeMille - Nightfall. Probably close to the truth.
“Billions of hours of jets flying with fumes in their tanks and exactly one incident. Doesn’t pass the smell test.”
Nope, not even close.
I was watching Peter Jennings as the news broke in, it was the fog of war. He interviewed two people on site who saw it all and they both said they saw a “flare” go up. So I started yelling “missile” but to my amazement, Jennings let it go. He was so trained, he sniffed out where the cover-up should be.
Would be interesting to find out if they made a copy and hid it.
...arkenside! Chk the manifest for Clinton Associates off the reservation. Whole high school French Class mere collateral damage!... ymmv
The plane broke in half and the running turbines took the front half straight up, thus the tracer. People imagined they saw surface to air tracers.
That’s the spin given by officials in a documentary I watched. I didn’t buy it.
It will happen again. Think Memphis cops/Rodney King. They won’t be turning the video over to the FBI.
I’ll take the ground-to-air missile for $100, Dave.
What caused it? The United States Government, through some combination of ineptitude, desired political expedience and outright malevolence.
Don’t buy it. It was a missile, the plane was intact through most of the video. I didn’t imagine the trail. In fact, as I watched, I said out loud “As*holes shot it down!”
The amount of deceit and outright lies surrounding the shoot-down of Flight 800 long before there was any investigation, saying “the official investigation foun no evidence” is just plain pointless. The first, local coverage wsa 100% about people having seen it shot down by a missile. By the time the story went national, every mention of a missile was deleted from all witness accounts.
FU James Kallstrom.
First: when you see the seats reconstructed, you can see where the missile went through.
Second: Pierre Salinger said the next day, that it was shot down by the US Navy.
Third: after 9-11. George Stephenapolous said “ it reminded him of when TWA 800 was shot down.
Fourth: the Cheif pilot of TWA was threatened with arrest, and loss of his retirement, for taking a small sample of the missile residue on the seats, to an independent lab. The lab said it was missile residue. But the head of the FBI, gave some kids on the beach, a flag that had washed up. No charges or threats against the head of the FBI.
Fifth: when you see the radar that day. You can see an object heading up to the flight, before the flight explodes. Government said that was artifact.
I had dinner with a group of seasoned airline pilots, all 747 captains, who had no doubt the government story was fabricated. No center fuel tank problems, ever.
They came up with this after years of claiming people merely saw the fuel streaming behind it? After replacing eyewitness accounts with fake accounts claiming the physically impossible sequence that they heard the explosion and THEN saw the plane break up? The government was 100%, absolutely unequivacably behind THAT notion.
That’s a new acronym, you’ll have to mail me and let me know how close I am heh.
” It is important to note that there is no evidence to support any of these conspiracy theories beyond eyewitness accounts. “
They actually wrote that.
Put it down in ink on paper, and passed it around with their name on it.
Wow.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.