[NY Attitude]

I have read in several posts SAM that implies suface fired missile. What about AAM (air to air) fired from an aircraft?

[Rokke]

With respect to the lack of witnesses to anything resembling a surface fired missile, an air to air missile would actually be a more plausible explanation. But then you would have to imagine a scenario in which an aircraft was airborne with live ordinance, and fired that ordinance at a large, civilian airliner flying in a very well used air corridor just a few miles off the coast of Long Island. It just wouldn't happen without the incident receiving instant and very public scrutiny.