I didn’t initially buy into the shootdown theory of TWA 800, but I am starting to be convinced. I recently picked up a book off the remainder shelf by Nelson DeMille (an author whose work I respect) called Night Fall.
DeMille doesn’t pretend that his novel is a scientific investigation of the crash, but he does try to present all sides (according to the disclaimer at the front of the book) based on the post-crash investigation. I’m just starting into the book and he is presenting some information about the number of eye witnesses I initially dismissed after the original investigation.
In restrospect, the official cause of the explosion and crash doesn’t make a lot of sense. The 747 has been around for a VERY long time and if the fuel tank pump were REALLY a problem, there should have been MANY explosions and crashes of 747s related to the same cause. Also, that the FAA took so long to finally order a change to the 747 center fuel tank after so many years, raises questions (and eyebrows). If this is truly as severe a problem as it would seem to be, the FAA should have acted on it years ago.
The whole thing is looking a lot more fishy and smell a lot more than it did 12 years ago.
Why? The DC-10 had flown for some time before the loss of a cargo door brought down the Turkish Airlines plane outside of Paris. And flew for years more before an engine fell off while taking off at O'Hare in 1979. The 767 had flown for years before the engine reverse suddenly activated in air in 1991. The MD-11 had years of flying time before the SwissAir flight was brought down by an electrical failure. Airplanes are well built and well designed. Problems can surface years later due to a single fluke combination of factors and bring a plane down.