[Diddle E. Squat]

The quality-assurance manager told investigators that he had destroyed the tape because he thought making it was contrary to F.A.A. policy, which calls for written statements, and because he felt that the controllers "were not in the correct frame of mind to have properly consented to the taping" because of the stress of the day....The center manager had agreed with the president of the local union chapter that the tapes would be destroyed once the standard written statements were obtained, the report said.

With so many questions unanswered, it is premature to jump to conclusions, but it certainly sounds like this may have been a holdover. There seems to be all the hallmarks of a Gorelick legalistic mindset at work.

[Diddle E. Squat]

To clarify, this is more likely is a result of a legalistic/bereaucratic/butt-covering pattern of response, rather than an express attempt to cover up something damning.