Ahhh ... the witnesses.
Witless witnesses. Numb witnesses. Inebriated witnesses.
Witnesses mistaking fireworks fired-off either earlier or later that same evening, witnesses observing flame, reflections from the sun off debris falling from the ailing B747 ...
SOME of the *best* witnesses were the 'trained eyes' in the 'flight lanes' that evening behind TWA800 - NO SUCH REPORTS of 'missiles' from them.