It would be in the government’s best interest to lie to us because of the fact that they just bailed out the airline industry to the tune of more than a billion dollars. If that doesn’t illustrate the enormous significance of the airline industry on the economy, I don’t know what does.
Also, we were in the midst of the biggest holiday traveling season of the year. We were also in a recession. We needed methods of jump starting the economy, and the government was in no position to throw any more money around with a shrinking surplus. Simply put, the government wanted people to travel by air and they were doing everything to assure the public that the airports and airlines are safe. If the eyewitness reports were true, it would make all the sense in the world why the government is not telling us the truth about Flight 587.
Telling the truth would lead to further destruction of the airline industry. Everyone would find alternate methods of travel, just to avoid getting on a plane.
Telling the truth would mean mass hysteria and widespread panic about continued attacks against us.
Telling the truth would mar our "success" in the war on terrorism because the downing of Flight 587 would undoubtedly prove that we are still vulnerable on any given day. I think you get the point.
While the NTSB’s explanation(s) for the crash seem valid, the claims made by the eyewitnesses cannot, and should not, be dismissed. They are far too credible. Furthermore, what would these guys have to gain by lying to the FBI or NTSB?
It is so ironic that many of the eyewitnesses are former representatives of the NYPD and the FDNY, the agencies that are supposed to be the epitome of truth and honor. Sadly, they now find themselves in the position of having to defend their claims and their honor.