TWAFlight800: WHO WAS WILLIAM KABOFOVIC? By: John Fiorentino

9/1/02 | John Fiorentino

[JohnFiorentino]

TWA Flight800

WHO WAS WILLIAM KABOFOVIC? By: John Fiorentino

During the FBI's investigation into the Flight 800 disaster, investigators questioned the victims families about a man named William Kabofovic. There was no William Kabofovic on the TWA800 passenger list but his name was found on a piece of luggage found in the wreckage.

On October 27, 1996 CNN reported the story of Mr. Kabofovic and the mysterious luggage tag bearing his name.

October 27, 1996 Web posted at: 8:30 p.m. EST NEW YORK (CNN) -- Investigators probing the crash of TWA Flight 800 want to know more about a man named William Kabofovic, whose name was not on the passenger list but did turn up on a piece of luggage in the wreckage.

The FBI has been interviewing family members of the crash victims, asking if they recognize the name.

"I told them I never heard of him," said Richard Penzer, whose sister Judy died in the crash. Questioned by federal agents, Penzer said, "I assumed it had something to do with my sister. They never told me why they were interested in that person."

(excerpts)

Full story: http://www.cnn.com/US/9610/27/twa/

Just what did happen on the ground before Flight 800 departed Kennedy Airport on it's ill fated flight?. The airplane had been delayed for over an hour due to a mixup with a passenger's bag, and some maintenance concerns.

Reproduced below is a partial transcript of communications prior to departure:

Legenda RDO - Radio transmission from accident aircraft CAM - Cockpit Area Microphone sound or source INT - Aircraft flight/ground intercom sound or source -1 - Voice identified as Captain (left seat) -2 - Voice identified as First Officer (right seat) -3 - Voice identified as Second Officer -4 - Voice identified as Instructor Flight Engineer -5 - Voice identified as gate agent personnel -6 - Voice identified as male aircraft ground personnel -? - Voice unidentified TWR - JFK Local Controller (tower) GND - JFK Ground Controller DEP - New York Radar Departure Controller CTR - Boston ARTCC Controller (center) FIC - TWA Flight Information Controller GH - Kennedy Gate Hold Controller LOAD- TWA passenger/freight load Controller ATIS- Kennedy automated terminal information service UNK - Unknown source * - Unintelligible word @ - Nonpertinent word # - Expletive deleted % - Break in continuity () - Questionable text (( ))- Editorial insertion - - Pause Note: All times are expressed in Eastern Daylight Savings time. Only radio transmissions to and from the accident aircraft were transcribed.

time Source: Content: 1959: 40 Start of recording. 1959: 41 CAM-? got it. 1959: 42 CAM-? an agent comin'. 1959: 43 CAM-? yeah right. 1959: 44 CAM-5 passenger's bag pulled, the passenger was on board the whole time. 1959: 49 CAM-5 all right. 1959: 50 CAM-1 is the bags back on? 1959: 52 CAM-5 huh? 1959: 53 CAM-? yes. 1959: 53 CAM-1 yeah he was on the whole time. 1959: 54 CAM-1 okay. 1959: 56 CAM-4 are we reconciled? 1959: 56 CAM-? let's go. 1959: 58 CAM-? push. 1959: 59 CAM (( sound similar to cockpit door closing)). 2000: 01 CAM-1 we won't bother telling them that. 2000: 03 CAM-? nope. 2000: 04 CAM-1 you don't mind, huh? 2000: 11 CAM-3 we'd have a mutiny back there.

According to the FBI, in it's Interim Summary Report of November 18, 1997 Section IV. AIRPORT INVESTIGATION--JFK AIRPORT--TWA 800 in Section B. PASSENGER/BAGGAGE RECONCILIATION: All passenger flight coupons were matched to the passenger manifest. All checked baggage was accounted for prior to departure.

How then do we account for the bag with the luggage tag bearing the name of William Kabofovic? For the past two years, this author has been trying to find out. The answer so far, remains elusive. There are several points of interest concerning Mr. Kabofovic, the most astounding of which is---he doesn't exist!

It seems Mr. Kabofovic, if he is a real person, is a rather reclusive type to say the least. There are no birth records, no marriage or divorce records, no social security records, no death records, no address or phone listings ANYWHERE for a William Kabofovic.

I have personally performed a thorough search in the United States and over 60 foreign countries with negative results. Mr. Kabofovic just cannot be found!

Just what does all of this mean? As of this writing, I can say truthfully, that I just don't know. What I do know is apparently among the wreckage of TWA Flight 800 there was found a "badly mangled" canvas bag with a tag bearing the name William Kabofovic. The name of a man who doesn't exist.

Add yet another riddle to the TWA Flight 800 mystery.

[JohnFiorentino]

Actually that's very interesting considering the timeframe, circa: 1996.

I had some indications that the name may have been "Serbian" by several people who corresponded with me.

Thank you much!

[JohnFiorentino]

Could you please site your source.

Thank you!

[MindBender26]

This came directly from source at Magnum Mountain.

[JohnFiorentino]

And "Magnum Mountain" is in the land of Oz I presume?

[AdvisorB]

I just left your website and enjoyed reading your take
on the GOP Senatorial candidates to replace old
moons' daughter. Woody came within a whisker of
defeating this leftist shrew. Who would have thought
that this close race would cause the country such anguish in 2001 and 2002. A Woody Jenkins' victory in 1996 would have
allowed judicial hearings, and up-and-down votes in the full senate for all Bush judicial
nominees.

[WFTR]

Woody Jenkins' victory in 1996 would have allowed judicial hearings, and up-and-down votes in the full senate for all Bush judicial nominees.

Thank you very much for your kind words on my commentary. The other thing that I sometimes think is that a Woody Jenkins victory in '96 would have provided the 51st vote to convict that lying piece of trash that occupied our nation's highest office for eight years. For that matter, an Oliver North victory would have done the same if that RINO John Warner hadn't pushed Marshal Coleman into the Virginia race.

WFTR
Bill

[ElkGroveDan]

sounds like a good Freep handle if there is a lurker out there thinking of registering. Kabofovic, or BillKabofovic, or WillyKabofovic....hey there are a whole bunch of ways to us that name. Any takers?

[ElkGroveDan]

Now if they had found a piece of luggage with the name Vince Foster on it......THAT would be a story!

(darn someone used all the Reynolds Wrap on last nights' chicken, gotta be another roll around here somewhere)

[MindBender26]

Neg:

Magnum Mountain is the admin radio call (and nickname) for the operational, tactical intelligence side of Crystal Palace.

[MindBender26]

....and source meets the seven criteria for good intel sources:

#1. She is in a position known to have access to this type of information.

#2. She is in a position known to have access to this level of information.

#3. She has provided validated information in the past.

#4. She has no negative prior interaction with the entity being informed upon.

#5. She is not providing information for money in a situation where this could be her last providing.

#6. She is not known or suspected to be compromised

#7. There are greater rewards for providing information in the future than any potential reward for not providing information.

[kcvl]

they suggested it may have been a bag borrowed by one of the TWA passengers," Aurelie Becker told CNN. Becker's daughter, Michelle, died in the crash.

[Common Tator]

So ? William Kabofovic sounds like a totally made up name to me. Like something out of Mad Magazine.

Actually my reel name is William T. Kabofovic III. My father was Williman T. Kabofovic Sr. and my son is William T. Kabofovic Jr. That makes me the third Williman T. Kabofovic so I always use Williman T. Kabofovic III. My Granfather was Williman T. Kabofovic IV and we have hopes that my grandson will be Williman T. Kabofovic I. We have always been a backwards family.

Actually the luggage belonged to guy who lives down the street. His real name is Williman T. Kabofovic V. But since he is always has his fifth with him, he usually travels unter the name of John T. Seagrams. He often said before he died in a unsolved plane crash that he prefered to be remembers as his favorited fifth. I think he chose one that he liked. Apparently that is why he called himself Seagrams.

Did I mention his wife? She goes by William (Billie) Kabofovic. Perhaps it is her remainst that they have found. I never met her but her husband always refered to her as an old bag.

[MadelineZapeezda]

Maybe the name was written in the cyrillic language script. Take it to a russian language teacher to see if they can decipher anything. The letter 'v' in cyrillic script writes as a 'b'.

[3D-JOY]

This is not making any sense!

The tags on a bag do not matter...it is the Paper wrap tag that identifies the luggage and the seat holder who checked the piece.

Given these facts...what was the real problem? Was the luggage checked by a non ticketed person or just a bag with a lost "sticky wrap "official tag"?

All the solutions discussed here do not seem to relate directly to any one problem...which has not been clearly identified in the story.

[FryingPan101]

Our luggage didn't arrive with us on a recent trip to Atlanta. Our luggage then came on another flight which we weren't on.

[Camber-G]

You are quite the wit, CT. Thanks for the laugh

[FormerLurker]

I wonder if this bag is simply a red herring tossed out by the FBI to throw even more confusion into the works...

[Revolutionary]

TWA 800 was a terrorist shoot down. It was covered up by the Clinton administration so it would not have an impact on the '96 election. The bag could have contained a beacon to help the attackers identify the correct aircraft.

[sandydipper]

TWA 800 was shot down with a missle - the bag probably contained a homing device.

[Hammerhead]

"Being Will Kabofovic"

Good movie but weird.